Missing and Presumed
by Seleya889
Summary: After disappearing during a scout, Alonzo becomes the pawn in a trade with a group of penal colonists.
1. Chapter 1

**_Author's note:_**

_Many years ago, I started several stories. Then life intruded, G889 faded into the background as Earth1 intruded far too far into my dreamtime and they fell by the wayside, neglected but never forgotten. More than a decade passed and those stories continued to haunt me, to ask that they be given their voice until, quite recently, I took up writing again, because the journey will always continue and it is as much a part of me as it is all of you...._

_MAP is one of those stories -- actually has eventually incorporated a few of those stories as it has evolved these past several months. I managed to find one file of it on a 3.5" disk, only able to be opened by an ancient computer with an obsolete program -- the spiral notebook full of otherwise unsaved scenes is long gone. I don't write linearly -- my writing is more of the piecemeal sort and then carefully woven together. Some of this story is 13 years old, much of it is brand new._

_MAP was started when I needed to 'respond' to a number of trends in the fanfic of the time I found unsettling. Lia always said to write what you wish to read -- not to rely upon someone else and so it began. It is not for everyone -- the story has some very strongly implied violence early on which gives it its rating. For those of you who read it, I hope you enjoy it – it has helped bring some of the magic back to me..._

_Many thanks to my beta readers, DebW, JennT, MaryB, Beeg and CotS, who repeatedly suffered through the "icky" parts and gave me precious feedback -- I seriously considered every word and still occasionally find myself looking sideways at the story to see if maybe it could be done better. Thanks for the feedback, the friendship, the patience and allowing me to wear Alonzo's vest! _

_A special thanks to all the Earth2 fans who still dream terrian dreams..._

*I don't own the characters, they own me.*

**Missing and Presumed...**

As a whine sounded through the shallow canyon, a lone zaizai alertly raised its head, its small ears scoping independent of each other, its eyes scanning the terrain while its nose analyzed the very air. Spying the source of the odd noise, it froze, its legs splayed, ready to move at a moment's notice, closely watching the strange creature's approach.

On a small rise where the canyon widened slightly near the watering hole, the intruder paused and raised its head high above the lush vegetation, apparently seeking. The zaizai crouched lower, mindful of this potential predator. Carried on the wind, a scent reached the small scavenger. A scent both curiously alien and threateningly familiar. Cautiously, the zaizai slunk further into the shadows, its dark fur providing camouflage from the unobservant.

The strange creature pulled its head back between its shoulders and moved closer, awkwardly weaving through the dense scrub. Watching intently, the zaizai's eyes occasionally darted elsewhere, seeking an avenue of escape.

At the sound of a soft nicker, a herd of abiqui raised their heads as one as the strange creature neared their grazing spot under a tree. The creature paused to watch their graceful, bounding retreat before slowly lumbering through the tall grass and then winding down towards the soft sand nearer the water's edge.

Standing in the shadows, the zaizai felt the familiar vibrations stir and begin to grow under its feet. The invading creature continued in its journey, unmindful of the danger. The small canid's eyes narrowed as the rumbling grew, the pressure built. The zaizai retreated parallel to the strange creature, waiting...

From the ATV, Alonzo Solace surveyed the surrounding area with a relaxed grin while he paused to breathe in the sweet summer air. A stream rushed from a nearby gorge which joined to widen the canyon, the stream feeding a small pond before rushing onward to a distant sea. The pilot was constantly amazed by the forces of nature. Even though Yale had explained it to his satisfaction, he still found himself wondering at how something as seemingly insubstantial as water could so carve and contour anything as mighty as The Mother.

Around the watering hole, plants grew in joyous abandon, filling the canyon with an incredible abundance of life. Alonzo impulsively reached for his gear, intending to call Julia, then paused with a secret smile as he spotted flowers growing closer to the small pond. Quickly checking his chronometer, he turned the small vehicle towards the water, rationalizing to himself he needed to analyze it for potability anyway.

The pilot wove the ATV through the lush vegetation and across an open plain which was pockmarked by curious craters and multicolored pools. A flock of birds started at his passing, taking to flight all around him. Alonzo looked up, following their dance against gravity with a heartfelt sense of yearning, feeling as one with them even as his thoughts slipped to Julia once more.

A plume of steam shot high into the air at his side, drawing his wandering mind back to earth in a rush. Slowing the vehicle, Alonzo looked wildly around for the cause. Within the few minutes he had looked away, an eerie fog had crept onto the land to obscure the uneven terrain. Where the sunlight hit it, the fog sparkled, blanketing the earth in fantastic hues. A stiffening wind chased the vapor away only for it to be replenished by an invisible source.

Unable to see the mysterious pools of water, Alonzo uncertainly stopped the ATV to get his bearings. From beneath the layer of fog, a soft gurgling could be heard. Rising slowly to his feet, Alonzo squinted and waved his arms to clear the mist which now rose to his waist. He jumped in alarm when another plume of steam rose nearby. As yet another jet of super-heated water shot close behind, only deflected from striking him by the ATV's solar panels, Alonzo immediately sprang back into his seat and gunned the small vehicle forward toward the safety of the grass beyond.

As the vehicle leapt forward in response, Alonzo felt the ground give a slight heave while rumbling vibrations rose through the frame of the small ATV. Deep within the earth below, a muffled thud sounded ominously. Leaning forward to urge the vehicle onward, Alonzo fervently swore under his breath. Gritting his teeth, he banked the vehicle hard when a geyser erupted directly in front of him without warning.

As the hot column shot high into the air, the ATV spun, hit a small rise and flipped, throwing its passenger into darkness...

ooooooooooooooo

With a low moan Alonzo opened his eyes and attempted to raise his head with a grimace. With the smell of sulfur clogging his nose, his head swam and he quickly lowered it again as the glare of the sun reflecting off the nearby water only added to his growing nausea. He could feel the sand sticking to his forehead as he breathed in the loamy scent of damp, warm earth. Shifting his head to the side, Alonzo gasped for air even as an unrelenting pressure squeezed his torso against the ground. He panted shallowly through his mouth, mindfully taking stock of his situation. Gritting his teeth, Alonzo tested the ATV where it lay on top of him, pushing and pulling with all his strength without success. He tried to wriggle away, but found himself held fast with only the intensifying pain and decreasing lung capacity to account for his efforts.

With a sharp tug, Alonzo wrenched his right arm free from under the overturned ATV, crying out in agony as the motion brought other injuries to light. Struggling to maintain control against the encroaching darkness, Alonzo gingerly slid his trembling hand toward his head, feeling the tacky sore spot with a sinking feeling. Looking at his hand as he dragged it into view only confirmed his suspicions. Blood.

As he shifted slightly, Alonzo spied his gear lying nearby where it had been thrown in the accident. He strained to reach it, only to come up short. Sweat mingled with the blood on his forehead, making the laceration sting before seeping into his eyes to obscure his already limited vision. One-handed, the pilot groped blindly for anything to help him reach the communications device, mentally cursing his absent luck as his hand came into contact with a scalding puddle.

The sound of soft footfalls alerted the pilot to the approach of another. He squinted as he tried to look around his position, hoping against hope for a familiar face, either native or human. In the corner of his eye he finally saw it; a small shaggy scavenger crouched with its head low, sniffing in his direction. Alonzo limply tossed a handful of dirt at the animal and watched with satisfaction as it backed away only to moan in defeat as it tentatively returned, carefully skirting the steaming pools of water left by the geyser's eruption.

Emboldened by the human's continued immobility, the animal drew closer, ever ready to bolt at a moment's notice. Its sniffles and snorts blew sand into Alonzo's face, making the pilot wheeze as he fought for hard won air. They stared at each other for several agonizing minutes -- man and beast, prey and predator. Its ears alertly pricked forward, the zaizai furtively sized up its prize. Alonzo watched nervously as the canid slowly licked its lips in anticipation. Just as the pilot thought it would attack, the animal let loose a sudden yelp, spun in place and swiftly raced away.

His heart hammering in his chest, Alonzo sighed in relief. He tried to look around to see his savior, whoever or whatever it was, hopeful it was better than the previous stalker. Weakening rapidly, he rested his cheek on the ground, his universe progressively narrowing to his next breath. His eyesight rapidly fading, Alonzo barely registered the shadow as it blocked the sun from his eyes.

"Well. Just look at what someone left lying around..."

"He's quite a catch, that's for sure. Lemme take a closer look. Needs a little cleaning up."

"Yeah, I think we just might have a few uses for him. Here, help me with this."

The pain grew in intensity as the weight was lifted up and away. Alonzo frantically dug his fingers into the earth to hang onto it as it quickly tilted away from him and everything went dark...

ooooooooooooooo

"Yale?" Julia rushed to catch up with the elderly cyborg, who paused and turned to wait for the young doctor.

"What is it, Julia?"

"I was wondering if you've heard from Alonzo. I haven't heard from him and he's past his check-in time."

"No, I have not. But he is scouting quite far ahead of us and we have been having some difficulty with interference in these canyons."

As the doctor nodded resignedly, Devon spoke up from where she had fallen into step beside them on the other side of the cyborg. "When did he last check-in?"

"Four hours ago," Julia reported quietly. "The path was still clear and he was getting a strong water reading, so he decided to go a little further before turning back for the day."

Devon frowned. "He's an hour overdue and the wind has begun to pick up."

"It appears we might be in for a brief storm," Yale agreed.

Julia warily glanced up at the increasingly overcast sky, noting the subtle chill as the strengthening wind grew in proportion to the amount of warm sun the clouds blocked. She met Devon's eyes as she felt the woman lay a hand on her arm.

"Maybe he decided to stop for the night to sit out the storm. He has camping gear. He should be fine."

"It certainly won't be the first time Alonzo has stayed out on scout overnight. Yet, perhaps we're being premature. He could still be waiting for us nearby," Yale pointed out optimistically. "Nevertheless, we should start looking for a good campsite. I will notify the others."

ooooooooooooooo

"He's waking up!"

"Well, hold onto him tighter, I'm not done yet! He's gonna have to take it like a man."

Alonzo awoke to a searing pain slicing through his torso from behind. He grunted and desperately tried to pull away, only to find himself firmly pinned in place by a man on either side of the crude table he found himself on. With the pressure from above, Alonzo's face pressed into the coarse rug underneath, his forehead grinding into the rough fibers, reopening the abrasions on his brow as the waves of pain overtook him. From above, Alonzo could hear a third man grunt and strain as inside he felt the invading twist, push and pull and the sticky wetness as it slipped along his skin in thin rivulets.

As the pain increased, Alonzo gritted his teeth as he felt his body uncontrollably buck against the impalement, unintentionally intensifying the assault. He tried to kick away, but his legs lay immobilized underneath him. At a sudden violent thrust, the pilot reluctantly cried out, only to have a rag roughly wedged between his teeth. Alonzo panted through his nose, finding it difficult to not smother with his nose crushed down and the gag filling his mouth. Alonzo wriggled again when the third man paused in his exertions, momentarily relaxing his grip on the pilot's hip.

"Lie still, Pilot, you're just going to make it worse for yourself."

Alonzo's muscles involuntarily clenched around the rod as the man's weight caused it to shift inside him. He tried to turn his head, to see his captors. The men on either side grabbed his head by the hair and held it in place, forbidding any movement on his part.

"Hold him steady, I'll be done with him in a minute. Don't make too much noise, Pilot, the grendlers are around this time of day. Trust me, you don't want to attract them... Gilbert, you ready?"

"Almost. No rush. I'd like to give the iron a few more minutes in the fire, just to be sure. It should be all set by the time you're done."

"OK. Once I'm done with him, he's all yours. Just get it right the first time. I don't think our boy here would appreciate a second try."

Squeezing his eyes tight, Alonzo whimpered as the pain abruptly began anew and bright spots danced before his eyes.

The assault continued for what seemed like an eternity to the pilot, until finally, with a satisfied grunt from above, the invading presence froze and then deliberately withdrew from his body. A harsh pressure grew on Alonzo's back as the men switched positions with celebratory encouragement.

His mind rapidly numbing as the powerlessness combined with the excruciating trauma, Alonzo held himself perfectly still to try to listen past the blood roaring in his ears. He could hear the man, Gilbert, busily working nearby, the sounds of a fire being stoked and coals raked reaching the benumbed pilot's ears. After a sizzling sound, followed by a brief oath, the man approached.

When Gilbert limped past, Alonzo stole a peek out the corner of his eye to see the long rod in his hands, the metal white with the heat of the fire. The pressure on his back was relieved as the two men more securely pinned him in place and Gilbert positioned himself behind the pilot.

Alonzo braced himself against his restrainers. He could feel the heat as the iron was maneuvered into place over his skin. Alonzo gnawed on the gag in anticipation, choking back the scream as the smoking rod was suddenly plunged into him -- the searing pain mingling with the unmistakable odor of burning flesh. In the distance, Alonzo could hear a muffled bellow as his world flashed to a brilliant gray and then to black...

ooooooooooooooo

Too preoccupied to concentrate, Devon looked up from the maps she and Yale had been poring over to watch Julia where the doctor sat staring pensively into the rainy night. With a soft sigh, Devon decisively placed her stylus on the crate and, with a lingering pat on Yale's shoulder, wandered over to visit her friend.

"Yale says the storm should end about midnight," she began, drawing a startled glance from the doctor. "We should rendezvous with Alonzo's last known position by noon."

Nodding, Julia allowed her eyes to drift back to the torrential rain which fell in ribbons outside the geodesic arch to sluice down its sides and gather again in pools on the ground. "I'd feel better if he had managed to get a call in. This isn't like him."

"He's certainly been missing before when the terrians have unexpectedly needed him."

"..or when he's been in an accident," Julia amended, squarely meeting Devon's sympathetic gaze.

"Has he had any dreams recently?" Devon ventured cautiously.

"No." Julia paused to consider the question fully. "Nothing of note."

Cameron slogged under the shelter to approach Julia, a small clear container in his hands. "Julia, look what I found. We haven't cataloged one of these yet. A whole bunch of them were wallowing in a puddle. What do you think?"

Devon watched as Julia directed all of her attention to the small ten-legged creature in the bottle.

"No. We haven't. Interesting how its eyes are set..." Totally absorbed in her subject, Julia scanned the colonist's latest find.

A glance at the water-logged engineer earned Devon a conspiratorial wink. She smiled her appreciation in reply.

"What are we going to name this one? Are we running out of microbrews?"

The bearded colonist shrugged with a grin. "You can never run out of microbrews. Though, at this rate, I don't think we'll ever run out of bugs either. I figured maybe Blackwellia after 'Blackwell Stout'. It was named after a water dog."

"I think I'll leave the two of you with your bugs," Devon laughed as she headed for her tent.

ooooooooooooooo

..Alonzo floated...

..Adrift in a red-gray haze, he distantly felt himself being senselessly tossed and tumbled along the ever-changing eddies and currents...

..He was so tired. It was so easy to lie back and allow the tides their whims. So easy to submit to the fog which clouded his every thought. So easy to just stop fighting...

..A tiny voice rebelled inside him, urging him to resist the syrupy nothingness that buffeted him within the seductive oblivion, insistently driving him to the surface to burst into the light...

Alonzo's eyes suddenly flew open in alarm, snapping the pilot to full consciousness all at once. Feeling every agonizing pulse beat magnified in his nerve endings, he panted hard while he attempted to clear his mind. Alonzo found himself on a raised pallet in the middle of a large cavern, his head slightly higher than his feet. A fire crackled close to his left, the warmth caressing his cheek while the firelight flickering on the ceiling above was lazily traced by wisps of smoke. Trying to look around, the pilot's attention was immediately drawn to the rasp of coarse ropes which crisscrossed all around him, holding his head and body totally immobile. Alonzo struggled against his bonds, whimpering softly when a searing blade of pain blossomed through his torso.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Pilot. You're just going to hurt yourself. You're certainly not going anywhere any time soon."

His eyes darting around in search of the disembodied voice, Alonzo futilely twisted his hands in their bonds, grunting out loud as the movement heightened the torment and abraded his burnt wrist. His hand lightly brushed a stiff frame, which appeared to encircle his body and anchor the ropes. As he awkwardly tested his confinement a face swam into view; the palest blue eyes the pilot had ever seen peered through the shock of white hair which cascaded over the man's forehead to touch his beard.

Blinking furiously to remain conscious, Alonzo defiantly met the man's appraising gaze. "Who are you? What do you want?"

"You can call me Gilbert. What I want...you may have already given me. We'll see."

"If I already gave it, then let me go," the pilot reasoned, as he continued to squirm in his tightening restraints.

"I'm afraid I cannot do that. Be patient, my compatriots are out negotiating for your return right now."

"My return? To where? I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't try to toy with me, Alonzo." Gilbert wryly noted the pilot's reaction to the use of his name. "We already know everything. Whether you realize it or not, you've been most cooperative." As Alonzo continued to test his bonds to no avail, Gilbert frowned. "It would be best if you didn't struggle; even if you were to get free, you wouldn't get far. I can assure you of that."

"Try me." Alonzo challenged through his teeth.

In answer, Gilbert rested his hand on Alonzo's shoulder, massaging gently before squeezing hard enough to pinch the pilot. The penal colonist raised his eyebrows when Alonzo defiantly tried to pull away. Gilbert slid his hand over the ropes to deliver another pinch to the pilot's chest. As he relentlessly continued to trace a painful trail, Gilbert maintained eye contact with the struggling pilot. When he crossed the bindings at the pilot's waist and went lower, Gilbert watched the fury in their brown depths turn to surprise and then capitulation. Satisfied his demonstration had been understood, Gilbert turned away.

Spent by the futility of his efforts, Alonzo fell silent, allowing his fetters to take his weight as Gilbert hobbled out of view. The pilot morosely turned the situation over and over in his head as he listened to the other man rustle around the cavern he found himself in. He absently watched the firelight dance across the ceiling, the flames casting curious shadows while they lulled his benumbed mind. Alonzo's heart skipped a beat as his vision suddenly went dark, closing his eyes in relief when it cleared again to reveal Gilbert standing over him once more.

"This should keep you a little warmer," the man explained as Alonzo felt the soft pelt drawn tight to his chin and realized he was shivering. "You're still in shock from last night. I'll try to make sure the boys go easy on you for a while."

Alonzo looked up at the man uncertainly before averting his eyes. "Thanks."

"Now drink this," Gilbert added, bringing a cup down to Alonzo's mouth and causing the pilot to gag as the liquid's foul aroma assaulted his nostrils.

"No..."

"Drink it. It will help you sleep."

"I don't want to sleep!" Alonzo argued. He clamped his mouth shut tight when Gilbert started to force the cup upon him.

"You don't want to stay awake. Now drink this!"

As the first few drops dribbled past his teeth and came into contact with his tongue, Alonzo gagged against the taste, involuntarily opening his mouth in disgust. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Gilbert quickly poured the remainder of the cup into the helpless pilot's mouth, holding it shut and roughly stroking his throat as Alonzo choked against it.

Alonzo's eyesight faded as he frantically fought against the onslaught. He gagged some more as the noxious liquid found its way down into his trachea and ran freely over the sensitive tissues in his nose while he gulped the remainder down in self-defense. Once Gilbert released his mouth, Alonzo wheezed and gasped for air.

Totally drained, Alonzo watched submissively as Gilbert wiped his face and added yet another blanket on top of him. A comforting warmth filled the pilot's stomach, quickly climbing through his torso before radiating out to all of his extremities. Alonzo tried to follow Gilbert's movement with his eyes only to find they would no longer obey. Momentary panic filled the pilot before the alluring numbness reached his brain and he yielded to it.

ooooooooooooooo


	2. Chapter 2

ooooooooooooooo

From the front seat of the DuneRail, Julia pensively watched the path ahead for any sign of the small ATV and its missing driver. Occasionally, when the terrain permitted, Julia would rise to her feet, gripping the roll cage for balance as she worriedly peered through her jumpers. Pausing from her vigil, she looked over her shoulder at the convoy as it rattled along the broad canyon floor at a maddeningly slow pace, the large TransRover behind them swaying precariously where the ground dipped unevenly. The doctor felt the familiar pang of worry as she watched several of the crew walk in loose formation around the convoy, cautiously scrutinizing the escarpments with their weapons armed and ready. Brushing her hair back as she impatiently settled deep into the seat, Julia nodded resignedly when Danziger muttered his reassurances once again.

As the canyon took a sharp turn and began to widen where another branch joined it in an obtuse angle, the doctor noticed the increasing growth of vegetation springing up in lush abundance all around them. She sat up straighter and leaned forward to peer through the tall grass, which twisted and swayed with the ever-present breeze. With an apologetic grumble, Danziger slowed the vehicle further when it bottomed out on an unseen bump, the grass that waved before them and luffed under the vehicle in a seemingly never-ending wave, obscuring the ground thoroughly.

Ahead and to the right, Julia spied a quick flash of red before a sharp reflection blinded her view. Blinking back the dark spots floating before her eyes, Julia raised the jumpers and rose slightly in her seat to look again. Julia's heart leapt when she spied the solar panels and top of the red frame of the missing vehicle. As the DuneRail crested a slight rise, Julia caught a clear view of the ATV sitting unattended in a clearing, beyond which she could see a glimpse of a small pond. Pointing Danziger in the correct direction, Julia braced herself upright in the vehicle to scan for the pilot.

Watching through occasional breaks in the foliage, Danziger eagerly directed Julia's attention as a tall figure emerged from a nearby grove to quickly stride towards the ATV. The mechanic grinned up at the doctor in relief only to furrow his brows in confusion as she visibly tensed, then slowly sank into the seat to stare steadily at the subject of their scrutiny.

"What's wrong?"

Barely shaking her head as she continued to stare at the figure in the distance, Julia tightly replied, "That's not Alonzo."

His questions freezing on his lips, Danziger narrowed his eyes as he looked again. The dark-haired man in the leather jacket easily swung into the ATV's seat to sit, apparently awaiting their arrival. A chill coursed up the mechanic's back as he watched Julia retreat into herself, transforming back into the seemingly passionless professional they left the Stations with. Warily eying their environs as he accelerated the vehicle, Danziger flipped his gear on to notify the rest of the group as he tried to collect his thoughts.

ooooooooooooooo

The nebula rose before him, threatening him with its electrical impulses and gravity wells -- and he smiled. He concentrated on his intended path between two asteroids which were tumbling out of control in the vacuum of space. Banking hard, he confidently accelerated onward, through the edge of the gas cloud and out the other side -- unchanged, just as he had been taught.

"Heads up! We've got a problem, people."

Morgan looked around blankly within the confines of his cockpit before he recognized the voice intruding on his adventure.

Danziger.

He sighed and switched his VR option off as he listened to the bad news from ahead.

ooooooooooooooo

The DuneRail kicked up a cloud of dust as it skidded to a stop several meters from the missing ATV and its mysterious passenger. Efficiently grabbing and arming the Mag-Pro in one motion, Danziger vaulted from the vehicle, urgently advancing towards the stranger wearing Alonzo's flight jacket.

"That's close enough."

"That's not nearly close enough. Where's Alonzo?" Danziger demanded angrily, as he continued to advance.

A shot rang out, scuffing dirt in every direction directly in front of the enraged mechanic, halting him in his footsteps.

"Perhaps you forgot that weapon Pilot had with him... Do not advance any closer; my men have you surrounded."

Danziger swore under his breath, warily scrutinizing the surrounding area as he slid a hand up to flip on his gear where it hung from around his neck. "What do you want? Where's Alonzo?" Danziger demanded yet again, as the remainder of the group listened in.

"You really must watch where you leave your playthings lying around... Of course, then again, I wouldn't have had such an interesting evening... You're a lucky man." The man smiled lecherously at the mechanic from where he lounged on the ATV. "Or, you were before I found him... He's mine now. All mine..."

With her eyes still scouring the landscape for any sign of the pilot, Julia slowly crawled out of the DuneRail, only pausing when Danziger warned her back with a dangerous glare. She quietly edged over to stand at the mechanic's elbow, listening to the stranger's monologue in disbelief.

"..Such a nice looking boy... Strong, too... Put up quite a fight..." The man chuckled to himself. "And, a ~dreamer~!" The man tsked. "You should know better than to leave a dreamer unattended. They are the best... ..once you get them properly broken, that is... Why, that trick they do with... :::phew!::: Pretty intense, isn't it? Of course, I'm not telling you anything you don't already know yourself, am I..?"

"WHERE. IS. HE," Danziger bit out past the Mag-Pro's sights.

"I guess that's for me to know and you to worry about. I'm sure you've been on this planet long enough to realize that possession is everything. Of course, everything ~is~ negotiable..."

Unable to merely listen any longer, Morgan flipped his eyepiece away and leaned over the edge of the TransRover's basket. Swallowing hard, he leapt down to the ground, scrambling frantically to avoid being run over by the large vehicle.

Bess easily jumped down beside her husband to grab his arm. "Morgan, what are you doing?"

"I'm going up there. Danziger's gonna mess it all up. He's reacting just like that guy wants." With an apologetic grimace, Morgan pulled away from his wife to jog towards the confrontation by the DuneRail.

"Morgan, please be careful!"

Morgan waved his hand at Bess without stopping, but slowed to a trot nevertheless.

The stranger craftily watched Morgan's approach over the hill behind Danziger. He smiled as Danziger finally followed his gaze over his shoulder only to snort in annoyance. The liaison panted hard as he drew up next to the mechanic, pausing to wheeze while grasping the brush guard to the DuneRail for support.

Looking past the newcomer, the stranger saw the TransRover as it crested the nearest rise and could be clearly seen for the first time. "Well, well... You are a very rich man on this planet... Mr...."

Catching his breath while the stranger spoke, Morgan turned away to smooth his hair and shirt while he hastily adopted his best diplomatic demeanor. Drawing himself up to his full height, Morgan turned to face the stranger as he interrupted confidently, "Martin." Brushing past Danziger, he extended his hand, then thought better of it and withdrew the offer.

"Rogers," the stranger allowed with a curt nod.

"Morgan..." Danziger hissed.

"Let me handle it," Morgan looked down to covertly mutter under his breath. "This is my game. You're too emotionally involved. He was pressing all of your buttons and you know it. Alonzo needs us to do this right."

"Morgan!" Danziger protested more strenuously. The mechanic backed a step when the liaison whirled on him, sparking with uncharacteristic fury.

"Are you forgetting who's in charge here, Mister?!" Morgan's eyes burned as he glared at Danziger. Their ebony depths filled with fear overlaid with resolution, desperation and a plea.

Danziger surprised Morgan when he nodded grudgingly, stepping back a pace to allow Morgan room to work while the remainder of Eden Advance drew near.

"You're a rich man, Mr. Martin. *Two* vehicles. Weapons." Rogers eyed Julia, then Devon as she rapidly approached from the rear of the convoy to join the others. "Beautiful women..." He allowed his eyes to openly appraise Walman where he now stood at Danziger's elbow with his own Mag-Pro whining. "..and men... What more could one want?"

Walman shifted uneasily, jumping slightly as Devon rested a calming hand on his shoulder. Devon watched the interplay between the two men closely, eager to jump into the discussion but hesitant to upset the fragile negotiations Morgan had begun. Seeing that Morgan was handling the situation for the time being, she sidled her way to Danziger's side.

"How do we know you even have Alonzo?" Morgan pressed. "I mean, this wouldn't be the first time he got separated from the ATV."

Rogers nodded approvingly and reached for his breast pocket, smiling inwardly when he noted every set of eyes following his slightest move. Drawing his hand back out, he contemplated the object in his hand for a moment before flipping it through the air. As the shiny object sailed towards him, Morgan trapped it against his chest. He lowered his hands and glanced up quickly in search of Julia as it dropped into his palms. Swallowing reflexively, Morgan raised the familiar silver dog tag with the gold geometric flight accents for everyone to see.

"I hope that's confirmation enough for you. We had a devil of a time getting it from him." He looked directly at Danziger. "Of course, that just added to the experience..."

Devon grabbed Danziger's arm as his fingers whitened around the Mag-Pro. She looked beyond the mechanic to where Julia stood transfixed by the glittering pendant. A quick squeeze of the bicep drew Danziger's attention to Devon. Pressing his lips together, the mechanic looked up as Morgan uneasily glanced back at them. Their eyes locked for a moment before Morgan turned back to the stranger with resolve.

"OK. Point made. What do you want?"

"Perhaps, I don't want anything. Perhaps, we've already got what we want."

"If you did, I doubt you'd be here. As you said, everything's negotiable -- so let's negotiate."

"I understand you have a doctor here."

Morgan shrugged noncommittally.

"One of my comrades requires treatment--"

"What sort of treatment?" Julia interrupted, as she stepped up alongside Morgan.

Noticing the small caduceus she wore, the man smiled and nodded appreciatively at the doctor. "You must be Julia." He smiled ferally as Julia paled. "Yes, Pilot-- Alonzo told us quite a bit about you all. Especially you, Doctor. Amazing what they'll tell you with a little encouragement... As to your question, 6 years ago, my compatriot was crippled in an accident. Dreamers are quite valuable on this planet, but so is competent medical treatment. We'd be willing to trade the dreamer for treatment."

"But, I'd treat him--" As he roughly caught her by the elbow, Julia impatiently jerked her arm out of Morgan's grasp. "Morgan!"

Lowering his voice for only the doctor to hear, Morgan argued meaningfully, "No, you wouldn't..."

Julia stared at Morgan for a moment before his intent gradually became clear. Nodding uncertainly, she cast a quick glance at the stranger, who watched the two of them intently, then back to Morgan, waiting to follow his lead.

"Julia?"

Julia gamely crossed her arms and nodded at the liaison. "I can certainly try. I cannot give a prognosis without seeing it, however."

"OK, so we get Alonzo in exchange for Julia's treatment. Agreed?"

"She treats him successfully and then we let you have him back."

Drawing his eyebrows together, Morgan shook his head. "You heard the doctor. She can't do much of anything without seeing him first."

"That's the deal -- a healed leg for your precious dreamer. Consider it added incentive to do a good job."

"In the same condition we last saw him," Morgan amended quickly.

"That may not quite be possible," Rogers observed cryptically. "Alive..." He smiled at the Edenites discomfort. "As a goodwill gesture, I'll give you this nice vehicle. Agreed?"

"What if she can't heal him?"

"Do with him what you will. Even a cripple has his uses. Your dreamer most certainly has his."

Morgan pursed his lips as he studied the man speculatively. Acceding to the realities of the situation, he nodded grudgingly. "Agreed."

"So be it. Camp here. Do not go beyond the watering hole. I'll be back tomorrow morning." The man leapt from the ATV and confidently strode away without so much as a backward glance.

As soon as Rogers disappeared from view, Danziger lowered his weapon and crossed over to the ATV while Devon joined Morgan where he stood, supportively standing at Julia's side. The mechanic's grumbling drew their attention.

"Now what?"

"The ATV's all busted up. It's going nowhere. Some goodwill gesture; it's worthless to them. Wait a minute, what's this?" The mechanic reached behind the seat to pull out the small parachute remnant the scouts used as a makeshift tent. He held it up for their scrutiny.

"Oh my god!" Devon exclaimed when she saw the bloodstained cloth.

"Julia..." Morgan began nervously as the doctor ran to the DuneRail to grab a scanner.

Julia quickly scanned the sheet. Her voice shook as she glanced uncertainly at her friends to confirm, "It's Alonzo's."

ooooooooooooooo

Finished putting her son to bed, Devon wandered over to the condenser and drew herself a cup of water. Uly had been full of questions, as usual. She smiled to herself only for the worried frown to return unbidden. It had taken him a while to settle down and get to sleep. Devon wistfully found herself wishing someone could give her some reassuring answers as well.

She sipped at the water thoughtfully, trying to clear her mind. She had been worried about Alonzo since he initially didn't call in, but had resisted the fears, pushing them aside until their encounter with Rogers a few short hours ago when they came crowding back in a rush.

Alonzo often scouted ahead, probably more than any other member of their group. It fed his wanderlust and was a way he felt he could best contribute to the group. Alonzo's ties to the planet and the terrians made him an obvious choice but also made him indispensable to the group in ways which made putting him at any additional risk seem foolhardy at times to Devon. She knew sending him so far ahead of the main group exposed him to further dangers. The pilot had barely had his leg healed when he disappeared the first time, after being attacked by rogue terrians only to return with Mary.

Devon couldn't begin to imagine how far they would have gotten without Alonzo. Aside from Yale, he had been the one person she could totally count on since the week before they launched. Since those first tenuous days, the pilot had become a deeply trusted friend and confidant. Countless times she had relied upon the pilot, even imposed her will upon him, if she had to admit it, yet, with all the other situations aside, he had gone back to the terrians after Uly, when he, himself, had been terrified of the terrians, their dreams and what they wanted with him…

Devon remembered how drawn he looked that night, sitting in the DuneRail while Julia explained her theory, and had thought it was simply from the pain. When she returned to the glade with her healed son, she was surprised to find the pilot was still sleeping; his eyelids quivering as he continued to dream. Julia and Yale stayed with him while she and John Danziger walked back to camp with Uly. She recalled how she could have walked to the twin moons and back that morning and the incredulous celebration when they returned to camp. Later, she noticed how closely Julia and Yale watched the pilot and wondered why, but was so caught up in Uly's recovery and herding their group across the continent, she had never followed up on it.

Only four weeks later, when he disappeared overnight, did she begin to realize how traumatized he had been by the terrians' intrusion. Devon couldn't know to what true extent the pilot had been affected; respecting her patient's privacy as much as she was able while still calling the alarm, Julia had only revealed what she felt was absolutely necessary. When he reappeared the next morning, Alonzo was otherwise cheerful but tight-lipped about the entire situation.

Later, when Yale was captured by the terrians, it was Alonzo Devon knew she could approach to go with her to try to negotiate his release. His terrian connection aside, as much as it pained her to admit it, he was the only one she felt she could trust to help her save her dearest friend. He readily agreed to her request without hesitation, for which Devon was eternally grateful.

Devon shuddered to think what his absence would mean to the group. To her son, their only other tie to the terrians, who had only shown rare glimpses of terrian understanding in the year since he had been healed and, according to Alonzo's interpretation of the terrians' prophecy, was not yet ready and wouldn't be for quite a while. To Julia. To her.

"Adair."

Her reverie interrupted, Devon turned to see John Danziger emerge from his tent and stride towards her. He typically sent True to bed herself, but had kept her on a tight rein since their encounter with Rogers.

"What's up?"

"I wanted to ask you something I was wondering about." Off her inquisitive nod, he asked, "Why didn't you jump in today?"

"With Rogers?" Devon shook her head. "I didn't want to confuse the issue. Morgan did a good job. It was a no win situation but he handled himself well. I was in the TransRover with the children and had to wait until we stopped to get up there. He just beat me to the punch."

"I figured it was something like that. What do you think?"

Devon crossed her arms and looked down in the space between them for a long moment. Finally, she looked back up at Danziger, her eyes bright. "I've asked Yale to search his database for Rogers. I just hope we get Alonzo back safe. I can't imagine going on without him."

"I know it." Danziger grimly regarded the subdued group clustered around the fire. "We need to keep everyone together on this. Rogers has everyone shook up."

With a nod at Danziger, Devon strode to the circle around the campfire and surveyed her friends. Morgan was burrowed in Bess' arms, half-asleep. Denner kept whispering into Cameron's ear, the bearded colonist resting his hand on the small of her back as he whispered back. Baines could occasionally be heard as he kept watch.

Sitting down in the free spot on a log next to Yale, who silently stared into the fire, Devon lightly rested her hand on the tutor's thigh. She tilted her head to fondly watch the old cyborg complete his task and turn to face her questions. "Were you able to find anything?"

Frowning, Yale studied his hands for a moment before responding to the entire circle, "Yes. I'm afraid I have..." The cyborg steepled his fingers as he speculatively scanned the group where they all apprehensively awaited his findings. Meeting Devon's gaze, he acknowledged her prodding, "Mr. Rogers has an extensive criminal record, including three murder convictions. He was transported here in 2174."

"Yeah, but would they really...." Magus began.

"It is a prison planet," Walman observed sardonically.

"Do you think he's still alive?" Denner asked quietly.

"There's no way of knowing," Devon admitted. "But, I can't imagine they'd be bargaining if he wasn't."

"All this speculation is getting us nowhere and it definitely isn't helping," Danziger asserted.

Julia materialized at the edge of the firelight, breaking the silence she brought with her. "Danziger, the wire is perfect, but I need some more pins and, perhaps, a few more bolts as well."

The big mechanic rose. "I'll see what I can find. Anything else?"

"No. No, I think that's all. I'll know more tomorrow, but I'd like to sterilize what I can in advance."

Everyone sat silently as they watched Julia disappear into the med-tent.

"Shank, this is unreal," Baines interjected as he joined the circle. "What if she can't fix this guy's leg?"

"Julia is a very talented doctor. We must have faith that she can do this. And, we must give her all the support she needs." Yale stressed soberly as his eyes traveled the circle.

"What about if she does fix his leg?" Magus pressed. "What about Alonzo?"

"Then we give him all the support he needs, as well," the tutor added simply.

ooooooooooooooo  
--end Part 2--


	3. Chapter 3

ooooooooooooooo

"They're coming!" Walman alerted the camp from his sentry point, drawing the remainder of the group at a run. Bess silently rounded the two children up, ushering them, protesting, away from the excitement. As the three penal colonists descended the hill, Julia wove her way to the front of the group where the men had clustered, their weapons all trained on the trio.

"Baines, grab Magus and go cover the other side of camp. Even with the perimeter markers up, there's no sense in leaving our back door wide open."

With a curt nod at the mechanic, the young technician pointed his Mag-Pro at the sky and dashed off.

"You sure about this trade, Julia?" Danziger asked skeptically.

Absently brushing her hair behind an ear with her thumb, Julia frowned and shook her head uncertainly as she spared a quick glance at the mechanic. "I don't see that we have much choice. Though I don't like what I see thus far. I hope I can fix it. Six years..."

Morgan shouldered his way through the throng and up alongside the doctor. "Danziger, do you think we could reduce the firepower a bit? I mean... I don't see any weapons from here and now is not the time to have an unfortunate incident, you know?"

"Can it, Martin. It's your deal but I'm not gonna leave this camp wide open either. And there'll be an armed escort 'round the clock for anyone who stays, got it?!"

Morgan exchanged a resigned look with Julia before nodding. "Just don't do anything to make the situation worse, OK? We've got enough to worry about."

"Any sign of anyone?" Danziger whispered into his gear, ignoring Morgan.

"Not a sign. Nothing," Walman muttered from next to him. "The terrain the way it is, they could be anywhere."

Danziger nodded grimly while he scrutinized the approaching trio. He shuddered inwardly as he watched the labored gait of the middle man, his exaggerated limp almost painful to watch without regard to the circumstances. Danziger looked down at the petite doctor where she stood beside him, hugging her arms to herself as she pursed her lips uncertainly. Seeing Morgan wince, Danziger raised his head in time to see the cripple recover from his stumble, his two companions helping him.

"They look quite harmless now, don't they?" Yale commented wryly at the mechanic's elbow.

"Yeah," Danziger muttered as he sighted down the length of his Mag-Pro once more. "So do the kobas..."

As soon as the cripple was seated on a rock a brief distance from the Advance camp, Rogers separated himself from the others and approached. Danziger started to advance as well but was stopped by Morgan.

"Let me handle this. Please?"

Danziger paused, looked at the liaison and relented with a nod. A quick tap on the elbow was all the encouragement Julia needed to accompany Morgan to her new patient.

Rogers met the two colonists on neutral ground before leading them back to his two companions. Once there, Julia immediately began scanning the cripple's leg.

"This here's Gilbert and that's Wilson," Rogers introduced with a curious glance at the diaglove before raising his eyes to suspiciously watch the encampment. "Wilson, keep a close eye on them. If you see anything, signal the boys right away."

Ignoring the other two convicts, Julia gave a preoccupied nod to her patient as she frowned at her scanner.

"Can you do it?" Morgan anxiously asked from where he hovered over her.

Julia reset her scanner and examined the leg some more. "I'm not sure…" she began hesitantly after a few minutes of silent examination. "Six years is a long time. All the soft tissue has adjusted to the deformity." She met her patient's eyes as she explained, "I should be able to repair the bone. It will require surgery and a few days of traction before the bonehealer is administered. Stretching and repositioning the leg, however, could cause damage to the nerves and connective tissue. There's very little I can do about that. It could effectively leave you with what amounts to a pegleg. I'll certainly do my best to avoid that, but you must make an informed decision."

Gilbert's frozen expression wandered down to the ground to linger for a moment before rising to meet Rogers' firm gaze. He looked at the doctor. "But, the leg would be usable? I mean, it would hold my weight?"

Julia nodded affirmatively.

Chewing his cheek, Gilbert glanced up at Rogers again, then asserted, "I want the surgery."

Letting out the breath he didn't realize he had been holding, Morgan smiled in relief.

"Just be sure he's totally healed. That was the original agreement."

As Julia looked at Rogers in frustrated disbelief, Morgan straightened to confront the convict. "You heard the doctor, she's gonna do her best. You can't blame her if you didn't get it right the first time!"

Brooking no argument, Rogers shook his head. "A deal's a deal."

A hand on her arm silenced Julia before she jumped into the fray. She looked at her patient in surprise, then rested on her heels as the two men argued.

"..besides, we gave you that vehicle free and clear--"

"A vehicle that was all smashed up. It was worthless."

"But, you got it fixed..."

Wondering how much more the convict's band knew about the camp since Danziger had, indeed, repaired the vehicle the previous evening, Morgan averted his eyes for a moment to study the ground while his mind raced.

"..so it isn't worthless anymore."

Steeling himself, Morgan met Rogers' glare. "Your Gilbert will be in our camp until the doctor says he's ready."

Raising an eyebrow, Rogers countered, "So? Your dreamer will be in ours until we get Gilbert back."

Morgan's eyes hardened as he pointed out, "His room and board weren't part of the deal -- only treatment."

Danziger tensed protectively when Rogers suddenly threw his head back and laughed out loud.

ooooooooooooooo

Alonzo awoke to a burning sensation in his legs, the tingling radiating up to a dull ache in his upper thighs and down to intermittent sparks which flared in his toes. Powerless to do anything else about it, Alonzo experimentally tensed his leg muscles only to cry out as they seized up with spastic cramps. The rest of his body recoiled from the pain, setting off a chain reaction of painful impulses which coursed over and through his body. With his body contracting uncontrollably against its bonds, Alonzo gritted his teeth, tasting the blood where he bit his cheek.

An enormous man suddenly loomed over him, watching him curiously.

"My legs..." Alonzo panted through his teeth as tears pooled in his eyes, obscuring his vision before sliding down the sides of his face unchecked.

The man looked blankly toward where Alonzo's legs were tightly secured.

"Just... ..untie me. Just for a minute... Please?" Alonzo gasped out.

The giant shook his head. "Rogers said not to untie you or he'd get mad."

Alonzo moaned in frustration. Ignoring the man intently standing over him, he concentrated hard as he dragged one deep breath after another into his lungs in an attempt to control the pain. His legs repeatedly wrenched against the restraints as the pain spread opportunistically up his torso. Alonzo clenched his jaw to keep from crying out while his hands balled at his sides. He tried to relax against the pain; tried to ride through it. Eventually, the twitching gradually eased and, with it, his body followed suit.

The man hovered nearby, curiously watching. When the pilot finally quieted, his lids drooping heavily as his ragged breathing continued to punctuate the air, the man leaned forward once more. "Pilot, are you still awake?"

In answer, Alonzo's eyes opened to slits as he silently regarded the man.

"Good! It's kinda lonely here with everyone gone."

"My name is Alonzo," the pilot corrected tiredly.

"I'm William."

Alonzo considered William for a moment before speaking again. "William, my throat's really sore. May I have some water?"

"Yes! I can do that! Gilbert said you could have water." William eagerly rose and trotted out of sight to rattle around a far corner of the cavern. He returned a few moments later, cup in hand. Paying close attention, William tried to give the pilot his drink without success, watching the water splash past Alonzo's lips with dismay. Sitting back with a frustrated sigh, William considered the cup in bewilderment.

"Maybe if I did it," Alonzo helpfully suggested.

"OK," William agreed. He raced off to refill the cup then quickly returned. As he stooped low to hand the cup to Alonzo, William pulled up short while he considered the pilot's tethered arms in confusion.

"I'll need my arms free," Alonzo coached.

William nodded and bent to his task only to sit back a moment later, his expression darkening. "Rogers said-- You're trying to trick me! I don't like that!"

Alonzo watched nervously as the big man threw the cup aside and suddenly stood over him, his hands flexing into fists at his sides. Visibly shaking, William considered the pilot for a tense moment before he spun and stomped away, all the while muttering obscenities under his breath. A crash startled the helpless pilot. Alonzo chewed on his bottom lip, wincing apprehensively, as he listened to the escalating ruckus of things being thrown and broken as William vented his anger.

In a sudden silence, William materialized again at Alonzo's side, a cup in his hand. Without a word, William clutched the pilot's cheeks and forcibly opened his mouth to accept the drugged cocktail. He poured the liquid down the pilot's throat without mercy – not pausing as Alonzo desperately gurgled for air. His beefy hand now holding Alonzo's mouth shut, William stepped back to set the cup aside.

As soon as the pilot stopped struggling and lay still, William released his mouth as he asked, "Why did you have to do that, Alonzo? I don't want to have to hurt you."

Alonzo couldn't answer. He coughed thickly as he tried to clear his lungs and catch his breath. Alonzo felt his panic rise as the giant leaned over him, the firelight reflecting in his eyes. Without warning, William suddenly grabbed the pilot by the hips and roughly flipped him face down. Out of breath, Alonzo's universe swirled painfully out of control until the much sought unconsciousness finally released him.

ooooooooooooooo

Absently stroking the soft leather of Alonzo's flight jacket, Julia sat on her heels to watch the two penal colonists stride away, leaving their companion in her care. Despite Morgan's best efforts, they had managed to wrangle little more than was originally agreed to. She caught herself hoping Rogers' other concession was not a hollow victory.

Julia's reverie was interrupted as her new patient nervously scooted back next to her. She met Morgan's wide eyes as he flicked her a momentary glance before returning his gaze to a point past her shoulder. The doctor looked over her shoulder as well to see the majority of camp rapidly bearing down on them.

"What's going on?" Danziger asked the liaison as Morgan rose from his crouch to meet him.

"This is Gilbert," Morgan introduced. Danziger stared hostily at the newcomer, who shrank from the scrutiny, as Morgan continued, "Julia needs at least a few days to treat him. He'll be staying with us until he's healed."

Danziger nodded unhappily. Fingering his Mag-Pro, he interrogated the stranger, "Have you seen Alonzo? How is he? What have you done to him?"

"I need to get him into treatment," Julia stressed to the mechanic. With a nod, she encouraged Cameron and Mazatl to help the man to his feet.

"It's been six years; I doubt a few answers will be a problem. Well, Gilbert?!"

While Morgan drew Danziger aside, Julia urgently continued to herd her new patient through the crowd. The colonists grudgingly parted to allow the doctor and her retinue passage, some casting their own hostile glances Gilbert's way. They closed in behind Julia to follow the stranger with their eyes while still listening to Morgan and Danziger.

"Try to be civil to him..." Morgan took in the eavesdroppers. "All of you."

"Why?" Magus asked. "After what they did..."

Morgan pursed his lips and nodded in agreement. "I know. I know, but Julia doesn't know if she can heal him completely. I guess whatever it is she has to do is kinda risky. Since Gilbert has to stay here, Rogers agreed to leave the final say to Gilbert. He'll decide when we bring him back." Morgan looked anxiously toward the med-tent. "I got Alonzo's jacket for her, too."

Devon nodded thoughtfully. "So you think we should try to be polite so he doesn't have an excuse in case things don't go well."

"Yeah. Why give him an opening."

Danziger swung around to face the liaison. "Wait a minute. 'When we bring him back' -- what's that supposed to mean?"

Morgan looked away, down to his boots. "Once he's healed, Julia and I are gonna deliver Gilbert back to his camp," he replied almost inaudibly.

ooooooooooooooo

Lying on the examination table in anticipation, Gilbert propped himself up onto his elbows to watch the doctor. A bearded man stood silently nearby, his stance and attitude reminding Gilbert that, here, he was a prisoner. The doctor's eyes occasionally strayed from her instruments to uncertainly evaluate the man attached to the leg, only for her to return to her work with an inaudible sigh.

As the examination dragged on, Gilbert explored the tent with his eyes. He marveled at the equipment stacked along one wall of the tent, the nearby table with the orderly clutter on top. These colonists still had manufactured clothing, some of it remarkably intact. 'Perhaps they don't need the dreamer' he caught a corner of his mind musing. Quelling the panic that thought brought, he reminded himself that they did -- to not have a dreamer in so large and mobile a group as this could quickly prove fatal.

"Did that hurt?" Julia asked without looking up.

"What?" Gilbert turned his attention back to his examination.

"I wanted to know if what I did just now hurt. Your heart rate jumped for a moment," the doctor explained to his leg.

"It always hurts a little," Gilbert quickly covered.

It was the truth, after all. The dull ache had become a constant in his life since the accident.

"It's going to rain soon," Gilbert added. "That's when it's the worst."

"Alonzo could always..." Julia trailed off uncomfortably even as a different ache asserted itself.

"The leg he broke," Gilbert observed before catching himself.

Julia looked up at her patient in surprise. "Yes." Flustered, she concentrated on her diaglove, resetting it again for lack of something better to do.

It had been one of the first times Alonzo had opened up to her since the crash -- the first time he had gone to her with his discomfort. Julia had gone to Alonzo's hammock for his morning check-up. Arriving there, she found the pilot even more restrained than he had been since the accident. White-lipped, Alonzo had actually asked her for a pain-block for the first time. Julia had hoped he would talk about his dreams -- he had obviously had more -- she could see it in his eyes. But, he remained silent as the pain medication eased through his bloodstream.

Despite the distractions of adjusting to life on the planet, tending to her duties, and the war already waging deep within herself over her loyalties to the Council, Julia berated herself for neglecting the obvious changes in her patient. She checked him thoroughly and commandeered the DuneRail. Alonzo dreamed again -- this time while awake -- and had spoken with her about it. And it had rained. Real, clean, sweet, pure rain.

Only a few storms and a few complaints from both Yale and Alonzo later did Julia make the connection -- Eden Advance's two senior citizens were also its unofficial barometers. Even though Alonzo only made light of the situation, it frustrated Julia more than she'd ever admit that she could not eradicate this side effect of his injury.

"Julia, Mazatl said you wished to see me?" Yale strode into the tent, radiating a calm Julia found herself drawing strength from as the memories carelessly skittered away.

"NO!" Had Cameron not moved fast enough, Gilbert would have pitched off the examination table as he scrambled from the tutor's entrance. "Don't let him near me!" he pleaded as the Edenites exchanged confused glances.

"Mr. Gilbert, this is Yale. He's going to assist me in your operation," Julia soothed.

Quaking with abject terror, Gilbert mutely shook his head in denial.

His palms upturned, Yale spread his arms in a placating gesture. "I assure you, Mr. Gilbert, I am quite harmless."

Gilbert's attention darted to the door as Bess and Baines entered. Noticing the penal colonist's panicked scrutiny, Bess pressed her lips together and tartly returned the attention. Warily watching the exchange, Baines soundlessly drifted over to where Cameron had stationed himself next to the cot. Cameron simply shrugged at the technician's unuttered question.

"Let me go! Let me go! Get him away from me!"

Any further protests from Gilbert were silenced by the soft hiss of a derm-app.

Looking up from the newcomer, everyone gaped in astonishment at the doctor where she stood over her unconscious patient. "Let's get to work," she suggested drily.

"JULIA! You promised what?!" Danziger bellowed as he stormed into the tent with Devon at his heel.

Julia turned to face a new distraction. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about our only doctor going back to a penal colonist's camp with only Morgan Martin as back up."

"Danziger, can we discuss it later? I really need to get going on this. I don't know how long Alonzo can wait."

The mechanic backed off a step and sighed, "I know, Julia. I know. I just can't see handing them even more bargaining chips when they're all ready holding all the cards."

Julia reached into her pocket and pulled out a set of gear. She offered it to Devon. "I have to go. Alonzo asked me to. It's audio only."

Devon took the proffered gear. Initializing it, she held the device up so she and Danziger could listen together.

Alonzo's voice, tinny and weak but unmistakably him, instructed, "Julia, Gilbert will show you where we are. I need you and Morgan to come get me as soon as you can. Bring the DuneRail. I love you. Alonzo out."

ooooooooooooooo  
--end Part 3—


	4. Chapter 4

Part 4  
ooooooooooooooo

Mindful of his sleeping wife, Morgan tiptoed into the tent. Stripping down to his sleep clothes, he eased between the covers to join Bess on their pallet. Morgan wrapped his arms around her and granted her a soft kiss on the top of her head as she snuggled against his chest.

"How is everything?" she asked sleepily, her words muffled in his shirt.

"OK." He shrugged under her. "So far, so good. He finally woke up. His leg looks like hell..."

Bess smiled and looked up to gaze at her husband's face. "I warned you."

"Yeah, but..." Morgan shuddered. Even after an unusually animated Bess had described the procedure over a rapidly forgotten supper, Morgan found himself unprepared for the ghastly assortment of hardware stuck into Gilbert's bloated leg from every imaginable angle, the other ends affixed to Alonzo's old leg brace.

"Julia said she nearly had to do that to Alonzo." Bess commented quietly. She looked up to gaze at Morgan in the soft moonlight which filtered through the canvas. Her hands absently stroked the precious body underneath her. "How's she doing?"

"OK, I guess. Not that you can really tell. She isn't exactly emotional under the best of circumstances."

"It's not her way," Bess agreed sagely. "Except with Alonzo..." Bess slid her arms around her husband and hugged him to her as she rested her cheek on his chest. Her eyes misted. "Morgan, I'm so proud of you."

Morgan interlocked his fingers over the small of her back. His wife's words caught him off-guard. "Why?"

"You did a very brave thing -- talking to Rogers and everything. No one else could have done that the way you did. If Alonzo has any chance, it's because of you."

He pulled her tight. "Alonzo's my friend," he answered simply. Off her smile, he elaborated, "When we were having trouble with our marriage, he was the only one who would listen to me. He always treats me like I count."

"You always count to me," she purred as she snuggled even closer. Bess searched her husband's face in the diffused light. "Do you really have to go to their camp to get him?" She watched his Adam's apple bob at the thought.

"Yeah. Rogers told me that was non-negotiable."

After a moment of thought, Bess impulsively kissed her husband on the tip of his nose then dropped lower to capture his mouth in a dizzying good night kiss. She would worry about the future later; right now Morgan needed a distraction from his troubles. While she noticed his response wasn't as enthusiastic as she would have hoped, he seemed to relax somewhat under her. Their lips parting, Bess pillowed her head on his chest, holding him tight. As his breathing slowed beneath her, she allowed herself to drift off to sleep.

Morgan lay quietly thinking. The thought, once again, of going back with Gilbert frightened him. He knew Bess saw right through him -- at times he wondered if she knew him better than she knew herself – of course her assured self-awareness was one of the things which initially drew him to her.

When they had first crashed, Morgan had little to do with the pilot. By the time they had rendezvoused with the remainder of the survivors at the cargo pod, Alonzo was pumped full of whatever Julia could find to keep him comfortable and sleeping much of the time. Morgan was grateful he was so out of it; he felt guilty about the pilot's injuries and it was easy to avoid confronting it head-on with the pilot out of the way and asleep.

Once Alonzo's connection to the terrians was discovered, the few in their group who weren't blaming him in some way for the crash itself had mainly backed away from him in fear of what the strange creatures wanted and how much they controlled the injured pilot. That aspect still frightened Morgan. He had seen Alonzo retreat onto the dreamplane and follow the terrians blindly far too often for his comfort.

It was only after they found the last escape pod that Morgan mustered up the courage to approach Alonzo to apologize. He was surprised at how well the pilot took the apology, especially considering all the raw emotions they were experiencing as they were forced to confront the demon in their midst. Morgan often wondered if Alonzo was so relieved by the knowledge that he could not have saved his ship and that the few minutes he had managed to buy them had definitely allowed everyone to flee had opened the pilot to listening and forgiving Morgan's explanation for why he had reacted the way he had.

A couple weeks later, when it appeared his marriage was unraveling, while everyone else was lecturing or mocking him, it was Alonzo to whom Morgan confided about his previous failed marriage. He had listened to Morgan's concerns over those stressful days and gave him advice which ultimately worked. With his encouragement, Morgan fixed his marriage, reinforcing it on a solid foundation of trust.

While they didn't always agree and occasionally got on each others' nerves, Morgan knew their friendship was a genuine one. As much as he didn't wish to go with Gilbert, the pilot needed him and friends helped friends out. Despite his misgivings, Morgan would do it. Even if he didn't get any sleep tonight.

ooooooooooooooo

Unable to sleep, Julia stared at the ceiling of Devon's tent, watching it sway ever so slightly in the evening breeze, the distant firelight casting the barest flickers of light on its walls. When Gilbert arrived, Yale had insisted the young doctor should move into Devon's tent and Uly move in with him. Despite Julia's assertion she would be fine in a spare tent when she wasn't busy monitoring Gilbert, the arrangement was made seemingly before she knew it.

Julia appreciated not having to sleep alone, but Devon liked to have a little privacy, so her tent was always on the outskirts of camp. As much as the doctor, herself, appreciated her own space, since her abandonment now nearly a year ago, she found herself unable to resist insisting the med-tent be in the center of camp. While it afforded little privacy and many distractions, Julia always found comfort in being able to always hear the bustle around her at any time of day or night. As much as he initially chafed against it, Alonzo understood her reasons and spent much of his time patiently finding creative ways to work around it.

Julia slipped her hand under the neckline of her shirt, seeking the simple necklace. She slid it out, her fingers caressing the smooth, cool surface of the shell tied to the hand-braided jute. Alonzo had made it for her from a shell he had picked up on the beach on the other side of the spider tunnels. Julia turned the pendant in the dim light above her head, watching the heart-shaped silhouette reflect the soft glow of moonlight.

In the light of day, the shell gleamed an iridescent blue with the barest lavender highlights. When he shyly gave it to her just a week before, Alonzo had earnestly told her it reminded him of her eyes. Julia held it close to her heart as her eyes moistened. She tried not to cry. It would do no one any good, she rationalized. She could feel the swirl of the shell in the center of the pendant pressed firmly on the palm of her hand. The heart shape so carefully carved around the outside.

"You've caught me in my heart," Alonzo explained as he gave it to her, showing her the delicate swirl. "I'm not leaving you ever," he solemnly promised.

Tears slid, unbidden, down the sides of her face. 'Come back,' she silently begged.

ooooooooooooooo

"Ow!"

William looked up into Alonzo's shocked expression and grinned. "Did that hurt?"

The pilot eyed him warily, grunting in affirmation after unsuccessfully attempting to nod against his unyielding bonds.

"Good! I thought so. How about this..."

Alonzo squeezed his eyes shut tight as he felt the bite on his immobilized leg, the sting spreading through his thigh as the pressure receded. When the blade pushed hard against his ankle, Alonzo cried out as he felt his whole body jerk and the muted pain broke free to envelop him. He shuddered as he frantically fought to pull his tethered leg away. When the room suddenly darkened, Alonzo's eyes flew open in alarm.

Casting a long shadow across Alonzo's body, Rogers towered over the pilot. He rested a hand on William's shoulder. "Enough for now, William. He's awake. It's time for him to have some more of this." Rogers bent low over Alonzo, bringing the cup to the pilot's lips without any further preamble. "Here, Pilot. Drink it."

Alonzo wrinkled his nose in disgust at the noxious substance as he obediently swallowed the liquid Rogers slowly poured into his mouth. As the man withdrew, Alonzo mentally settled and closed his eyes as he felt the now familiar buzz grow and expand within, wrapping the pilot in layer after layer of drugged padding.

"Do you feel this?" William asked expectantly.

Alonzo Solace felt nothing.

ooooooooooooooo

They called to him -- he came.

He always did.

As if he wouldn't...

..as if he had a choice.

The wind buffeted him as it whistled over the sands.

Then the questions.

The boy must be protected.

The Alonzo -- The Starstrider.

Why did he not respond?

Why could they not feel him?

His eyes flew open, causing reality to tumble in all around him. He gasped, his racing heart making his blood roar in his ears. As his eyes cleared, they locked onto another pair nearly the same shade as his own, which hovered in front of him -- offering a much needed focus. Gilbert felt the small palm pressing gently but firmly on his chest as the young doctor continued the eye contact. His transition complete, Gilbert looked away in alarm as he saw the knowing look briefly flicker across the doctor's eyes.

Assured that Gilbert had regained his equilibrium, Julia withdrew, after a moment's hesitation, to patiently resume the examination his dream had interrupted. Gilbert cleared his throat in the uncomfortable silence, looking away in embarrassment when the doctor spared him a quick, hopeful glance. His heart still pounding both from the dream and the exposure of his secret, Gilbert lay still while he surreptitiously continued to watch the doctor. He allowed his eyes to wander the tent, spying the sentry dozing in the corner.

"He wakes quickly, so I let him sleep," Julia explained wryly, making Gilbert flush as she answered his unspoken question. "In your current condition, you're only a threat to yourself. Hopefully, in another 36 hours or so according to my scans, you'll be walking out of this camp." She considered the dreamer for a brief moment, remembering what Rogers had said earlier. "..if you want to..."

Gilbert looked up in surprise at the beautiful doctor's offer, a question forming on his lips.

"Terrians in camp! Terrians in camp!"

Walman rocketed off his perch, alertly looking in every direction at once. "What's going on?"

"I don't know. You stay here," Julia ordered the crewman as she quickly ducked out of the tent, only to come face to face with the inscrutable visage of a terrian.

"Careful, Julia." Danziger's warning came from Julia's right.

Not taking her eyes from the native, Julia waved a subtle signal for the others to relax. With a warble, the terrian tilted its head, seeking past her. Sneaking a glance over her shoulder, Julia saw Gilbert propped onto his elbows, studying the terrian intently. As soon as the doctor sidled out of the terrian's field of vision, her patient resignedly took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Behind her, the terrian also closed its eyes, deliberately dropping its chin to its chest.

Both forms stayed motionless until, suddenly, with a sharp intake of breath, Gilbert visibly wrenched himself from the dreamplane. He nervously licked his lips and shifted in the cot. With a soft rustle, the terrian opened its eyes to regard the penal colonist with unnerving stoicism. It trilled once more then, with a snap of its head, disappeared into the ground.

Mystified, Julia brushed her hair back with a sigh and scrutinized the camp before turning back to the med-tent. Walman stood next to Gilbert as the petite doctor approached.

"Walman, I'd like to speak with my patient alone."

"No, Julia. We all want answers." His jaws tightly clenched, Danziger stood directly behind the doctor where he had followed her in, with Devon and most of the others closely following.

Surveying all the angry faces, Gilbert gingerly lay back into the bedding. His leg throbbed anew as he contemplated the tense situation he found himself in. When Julia protectively slid between him and her friends, he offered, "It's all right, Doctor. I don't mind."

Warning the others back with a look, Julia turned to her patient. "Are you sure?"

Reconciled to his fate, Gilbert nodded.

"What did the terrian want?"

"It apparently wants to know where your dreamer is. It seems he has an important job." Gilbert dipped his head toward where Uly curiously peeked past Cameron's leg. He wryly noticed the speed with which the boy was whisked away, out of his view.

"Why don't they know where Alonzo is?" Julia asked hesitantly, drawing his attention back to her.

Gilbert sighed and rubbed his beard in thought. With a speculative glance at his audience, he explained, "Because we're not allowing him to dream. There are ways to prevent it. Certain plants, when eaten, block the dreaming."

Julia's eyes softened in pain, causing Gilbert to look away in embarrassment. She looked uncertainly to her crewmates, grimacing tightly when Devon came alongside.

"You drugged him?" Danziger interrupted angrily, adding only when Gilbert looked up to face him, "Is that how you got the information out of him?"

Tearing his eyes from the sea of mistrust, Gilbert studied his leg. Giving the barest of nods, he stole a quick glance at the crowd before returning to his scrutiny. Taking a deep breath, Gilbert resolutely met Devon's eyes, then thought better of it and looked away.

Encouraging Gilbert to speak, Devon observed, "You're a dreamer."

"Yes." Gilbert admitted with a frown. "It is a cross I've had to bear since arriving on this planet 16 years ago."

"You don't like the terrians?"

"I suppose I've made my peace with it -- with them." Gilbert sighed, "You aren't a dreamer." He worked his way back onto his elbows. "You don't know what it's like to have alien thoughts invading your mind whenever they want." He nodded knowingly as Devon shook her head diffidently.

"Alonzo doesn't seem to mind."

"It wasn't always that way," Julia quietly reminded Devon.

"Why were you sent here?" Danziger demanded. "Yale couldn't find you in his database."

"I wasn't sent here as a prisoner," Gilbert explained, "I was a guard. At least, that was the official version." He snorted in annoyance. "I was as much a prisoner as they were -- only more so. I wasn't one of them. And then, once the dreams started, it only got worse...'

'You see, I did not have what turned out to be the relative safety of the collars. Every night, while they slept as peacefully as their consciences allowed, I found myself having dreams that defied description. Horrible, alien dreams. I only learned after time that the terrians are a mostly peaceful group. Then--" He met Danziger's skeptical frown. "I was slowly going mad, Mr. Danziger.'

'The prisoners started to become even more restive. They chafed against the restraints. My dreams only served to incite them -- to frighten them. It was only a matter of time before they rebelled. So I set them all free. They would have killed me too -- not that I would have minded at the time. But, Rogers spared me – took me in." Gilbert looked directly at Julia. "I owe him my life."

Sitting back pensively, Julia nodded thoughtfully. "Your leg. You never told me exactly how you broke it."

Gilbert nervously sought Yale, watching him closely as he explained, "A cyborg came..."

"A Z.E.D.," Devon breathed as everyone murmured in surprised recognition.

"A Z.E.D.?" Gilbert curiously rolled the word around his mouth.

"It stands for Zero Emotional Defects," Yale tersely explained. "A military offshoot of the Yale series of which I am a part. A very efficient killing machine as, I am sure, you have noted. I assure you, Mr. Gilbert, I am not a Z.E.D."

"What happened to the Z.E.D.?" Devon asked uneasily.

"We escaped underground. It was safer there. He followed us in; hunted us down one by one. We set a trap and lured him in to where the tunnel was weakened. That's when I broke my leg. I survived, but three other men were killed under the debris with the Z.E.D."

Julia sat back, mindfully considering Gilbert's story. "What did you tell the terrian?"

Avoiding the doctor's piercing gaze, Gilbert studied his leg as he responded, "I told him that your Alonzo couldn't dream right now. That he was with my group and would only return when the time was right."

"And, when do you propose that the time be right?" Danziger challenged.

His eyes narrowing, Gilbert looked at all the faces. "You tell me..."

ooooooooooooooo

Alonzo awoke to the unwelcome sensation of hands on his back, their persistent presence dragging him up from the slippery depths he had escaped to. He found himself lying on his stomach this time, his face pressed into the pelts. A small spot had been allowed for him to breathe, but the cloying scent of the animal's musk tickled his nose, while the hairs coarsely brushed against him with the slightest shift. The hands were relentless, poking and prodding as they travelled his abused body.

Suddenly, calloused fingers brushed against the excruciatingly sensitive area the rod had burned that first, unforgettable night. The pilot whimpered into the furs in pain as he tried to flinch away. The hands paused, then grew more insistent around the scorched skin, tracing the welt unrelentingly. The rod had seared most of his nerves on contact, but some nerves had only been flayed further open by the white-hot metal.

Alonzo sobbed as the attention continued and he lay helpless and exposed before it. While the rest of him remained bound, he could feel his legs were untied, which, by now, meant only one thing to the pilot. Alonzo struggled against the torment to remain as still as possible, knowing to move would only make things worse. Finally, much to the pilot's relief, the hands relented and withdrew. He tried to steady his ragged breathing but, to him, it was as if traces of the hands were still there, grabbing and kneading incessantly.

Alonzo was startled when something warm and wet landed on him. Little rivulets of liquid pooled in the small of his back and chased each other down his sides into the fur below. A cloth caught at the burnt skin, tugging at the raw edges. Alonzo arched his back and shuddered as the liquid suddenly came alive to set his nerves on fire. As the stinging seeped deep down into every possible crevice, he cried out and tried to twist away despite the warnings not to. His body became a frantic, separate entity as it senselessly recoiled from the pain outside as well as within with Alonzo powerless to control it.

Amid shouts from above, suddenly several hands roughly grabbed his legs, making short work of again securing them tightly. As his head roared with the beat of his hammering heart, Alonzo began to shake uncontrollably. He felt hands on his hips, realized what was coming next and the darkness swallowed him.

ooooooooooooooo

Yale rapidly approached Devon where she sat next to the fire, picking at her dinner. At her unspoken inquiry, he answered the group gathered in a small circle, "Yes, it took some time, but I found both of them. Stuart Wilson had a short criminal record. Only one crime that I could ascertain. He was shipped here on a rape conviction."

"No... Oh my god, Yale! Were you able to corroborate Gilbert's story?"

"He is who he said he is," the tutor confirmed. "His personnel record is not unblemished, which may account for his posting here."

"Blemished in what way?" Cameron asked curiously.

"He had disciplinary issues: code of conduct, insolence to superiors... Nothing that particularly leaps out as a red flag on its own, but enough to potentially make him a convenient choice for this sort of duty."

"I think we have enough red flags already," Morgan morosely pointed out.

"No kidding, Martin." Walman shook his head and rolled his eyes at the liaison.

Morgan sullenly examined the fire in reply.

"But, why would the terrians communicate with him if he was bad?" Magus asked, searching their faces for an answer. "Going into their minds like that... I would think they would avoid it."

"Gaal spoke with the terrians," Baines interjected. "That guy was batshit crazy!"

"No. Alonzo said he didn't. He knew about the dreaming from another man who did." Julia offered mindfully as she joined the group. She watched as everyone suddenly averted their gaze.

Devon looked intently at the young doctor. "He never told us about that."

Julia dropped her eyes. "The tribe shared it with him after they were freed. They weren't pleasant dreams for him. He felt it wasn't anything anyone needed to know," she explained softly.

"How's everything going?" Danziger soberly asked the doctor, his voice deepening in concern, as he scooted over to allow her a seat. He glanced at the med-tent. "He giving you any trouble?"

Julia combed her hair back with her fingers. "He's been a model patient and he's responded well to treatment thus far." She gathered a mug and sat down next to the mechanic. "I expect to administer the bonehealer tomorrow afternoon." Julia huddled on the log, her elbows on her knees as she sipped her drink two-handed. "I've tried to get more information a few times. I had hoped to gain his trust enough to be able to draw something out of him by now," she admitted. Putting down her mug, she smoothed her pants legs then hugged her arms to her torso. "He refuses to talk about himself or his group. I can't even bring up Alonzo's name anymore without him tuning me out."

"I suppose that's to be expected." Danziger patted her on the knee. "One day at a time, Julia."

"Yes, I know," she agreed hopelessly. Julia rose and slowly walked towards Devon's tent, leaving her friends silently studying the fire.

ooooooooooooooo  
--end Part 4--


	5. Chapter 5

Part 5  
ooooooooooooooo

Gilbert awoke from his nap and, stretching his arms and upper body, sleepily glanced around the med-tent. The sunlight struck the tent and streamed in the open door from a high angle, telling him it was nearly midday. Confined to his cot in the med-tent and under constant watch by both his guards and the young doctor, he had no choice but to spend most of his time sleeping to chase away the boredom.

Gilbert had to admit, even while keeping her distance, Julia had been more than kind to him since his arrival. He was fed regularly and all his needs were immediately met. As much as the treatment hurt, she went out of her way to keep him as comfortable as possible. The few terrian dreams he had had, she hadn't pressed him about, the terrians being even more pointedly insistent than her that Alonzo must be returned. Instead, the doctor had provided a tangible focus for him as he awoke each time, frightened and out of sorts from the questions and possible ramifications. This assistance, especially, he greatly appreciated, as his ventures onto the dreamplane were always awkward affairs and very disorienting when he awoke.

Julia had asked him about his experience with the dreamplane once, apparently Alonzo's experience was different. While she obviously helped the pilot transition much as she did him, he could tell by her questions that Alonzo must not have the trouble he did. Gilbert wondered about that. He had met a few other dreamers during his time on the planet, in some small way they could sense each other. But, when Alonzo was brought to their cave, Gilbert knew immediately he had great power. He would have liked to ask more about it, but conversation with the doctor was strained. The one thing she really wished to discuss was the one thing he would not. Once that was made abundantly clear, she had withdrawn from any further discussion not related to his treatment, much to Gilbert's regret.

His current guard was dozing, himself, by the tent door. Gilbert idly wondered if the man had moved from that spot in the past day. Julia and the cyborg were busy at one of her work tables, an assortment of flora spread before them. Julia glanced up sharply to briefly meet his eyes and acknowledge his waking before returning her scrutiny to the small purplish brown plant before her. Off the doctor's look, the cyborg gave him the barest sideways glances. A warning he, too, was watching.

Gilbert watched them curiously as they considered the plant. The cyborg, Yale, peered over his glasses at the slides one by one before inserting one into a machine. They crowded in front of a small monitor, speaking quietly between themselves in scientific terms mostly lost on the former guard. Both colonists looked disappointed as they looked away from their research to, once more, regard the robust plant Gilbert knew was plentiful in the area this time of year.

"It's good cooked." Gilbert offered, earning the startled attention of both colonists.

"But, the scans don't look good. It's too alkaline and contains some compounds I'm concerned about," Julia asserted dubiously. "We were going to discard them as being potentially dangerous."

"The stalks are safe. You have to cook them, though. Eat them raw and you'll regret it," Gilbert agreed with a grimace, remembering the time he had. "I make a weak tea with its dried leaves for congestion," he offered. "That plant to the right of it produces an edible root."

"Really?" Yale was intrigued. "Mr. Gilbert, would you be willing to help us with these specimens?"

Gilbert sat up gingerly to better see what they had arrayed on the table. His leg ached. "Sure." He smiled wryly. "It will be good to have something to do."

The tutor rose. "Before we begin, I'd better go get Bess. I am sure she will have many questions for you."

ooooooooooooooo

Mindful of attracting attention, Alonzo opened his eyes slowly as he awoke. For once, no one stood over him or came at the slightest sound. He was alone. His tethers still held him fast. He could feel the firm embrace of the ropes, the rasp on his exposed skin where he was able to move even the slightest bit. With time passing without any sign of the men, the pilot started to worry as doubts filled his head.

What if they had left him here? Helpless. Alone. Vulnerable. What if they never came back?

As he became more conscious of his surroundings he noticed the shadows on the ceiling had taken on a new dimension. Someone or something was moving around the cavern. Soft snuffles and grunts could be heard as it shuffled around. Whatever it was was searching. Alonzo could follow its progress by the constant sniffs emanating from it. He could hear things being moved, occasionally the clatter of something breaking punctuated the air.

"Pilot! Not a sound!" Rogers urgently whispered from his right.

Obediently, Alonzo lay silent, his pulse quickening while he strained to listen.

A smell tugged at the pilot's nostrils to sound an alarm in his brain as, simultaneously, a grendler charged into view with an enthusiastic rumble. It bent low to sniff him, rearing back for a moment excitedly before it leaned forward again in anticipation. Unable to do anything more than play dead, Alonzo nervously willed the creature away but it was fascinated by the helpless pilot. Cocking its head while it pulled at its ear, the grendler sniffed the pilot again, following its nose along the pelts to his exposed face as it left a gooey trail behind.

Greedily eyeing the pilot's forehead, the grendler insistently scuffed at the scab with its fingernails. Struggling to remain silent, Alonzo was dazed by the glancing blows as the creature aggressively pawed his head. After a tense moment of resistance, he could feel the scab peel free only to watch the grendler's eyes dilate at the sight of the fresh blood as it slowly rose to the surface to pool in the welts before lazily trickling across the bridge of his nose.

"Grendler! No!" Rogers commanded imperiously. "He's mine!"

The grendler shook its body angrily, thumping Alonzo on the chest, nearly knocking the wind out of him.

"No! No trading!" Rogers stressed. "Leave him!"

Latching onto his arm, the grendler impulsively pulled at Alonzo, recoiling in shock when the pilot suddenly cried out in pain as his burn ground against the ropes. Alonzo could hear footsteps on the hard-packed ground as the other men rushed into position to defend their home. The dancing shadows on the ceiling tightened into a small circle near the pallet.

Seeing its chance at a prize evaporating, the grendler desperately grabbed at Alonzo again with both hands, trying to drag him with it. The frame caught on the pallet, twisting the pilot violently. Alonzo bellowed as his arm bowed in the grendler's grasp, the ropes straining.

Suddenly, the hum of a Mag-Pro filled the air. Distracted by the whine of the weapon, the grendler's head snapped up, looking for the source as its hold on the pilot loosened.

Memories flooded back.

"Don't shoot!" Alonzo cried out in alarm.

A single shot echoed through the cavern. With an abrupt squeal, the grendler hurtled backwards, its grip slipping from Alonzo's bicep just before the frame broke free. With a quick dive, William caught the frame before it fell, deftly sweeping it and the pilot back onto the pallet with a thud.

Tears stinging his eyes, Alonzo groaned in pain. His breath came unevenly as he started to hyperventilate. Quaveringly, between gasps, Alonzo asked, "Is it dead?"

"Yes, Pilot, we got him."

Alonzo trembled as the blood roared in his ears. He bleakly choked back the bile which insistently rose with the memories.

Another Grendler. Another cave. Another shot in the dark.

The ceiling narrowed and dimmed to the barest pinpoint. He could hear voices, but they were distant, unintelligible. A cool cloth was laid across his forehead; a pelt drawn tight to his chin, a cup brought to his lips. He swallowed its contents automatically.

The darkness claimed him.

ooooooooooooooo

"Ungh!" Unable to tear his eyes away from the procedure, Gilbert squinted through the discomfort to see Julia wrench the last pin from his leg.

The doctor critically eyed him for a moment before delicately drawing the brace from his aching limb. Yale assisted the pretty doctor by holding Gilbert's leg still as the brace was slipped off and a soft splint put in its place.

Giving Gilbert a moment to compose himself, Julia withdrew to put the metal brace away and organize her equipment. She checked and rechecked her formulation and nervously reviewed Gilbert's treatment thus far, all while a pair of warm brown eyes taunted her, reminding her of days past -- of what was at stake.

Stubbornly evicting those demons, Julia rose and went to where Yale waited patiently beside the penal colonist. Scanning Gilbert's leg where it lay elevated on a pile of bedding, Julia addressed her patient,

"As I have explained before, this is a very painful procedure. The bones will be healing at a hyper-accelerated rate -- much faster than with a bone healer vaccine, if you're familiar with those. That, I cannot control. Because I need full muscle tension, I'm afraid I also cannot give you a painblock. During the healing process, I'll be flexing your leg to ensure that it heals properly. In Alonzo's case, the most critical pain passed in a few minutes. Due to the duration of your condition, I would expect it to be worse. I'll do everything I can to make it pass uneventfully, but I want you to be fully aware of what to expect."

In the pause that followed, Gilbert realized the doctor wanted acknowledgment. Suddenly aware of what the moment meant to him, he licked his lips nervously. "I understand, Doctor."

"Mr. Gilbert, should we notify your compatriots as to the nature of your treatment? I would not wish to needlessly alarm them," the tutor offered.

"No. I don't think that will be necessary," Gilbert replied as he eagerly took the small tablet from Julia's outstretched palm and popped it into his mouth. His mouth was so dry the tablet stuck to his tongue even when he gulped some water down. Embarrassed by his plight, Gilbert looked sheepishly at the doctor as he scraped his tongue against his top teeth to dislodge the pill before sipping more water to wash it down his throat.

Gently urging him back with her diagloved hand, Julia encouraged Gilbert into the bedding to rest while she scanned him. "Your body is accepting the compound. I don't expect the actual healing process to start for a few more hours. Keep me aware of any changes, OK?" Off the man's nod, Julia retreated to record her results.

ooooooooooooooo

Walman squatted on the TransRover's step, laconically watching Danziger as the mechanic busied himself deep in the bowels of the large vehicle. The mechanic's number one assistant was wristlocked and grounded to a tent with Uly for the duration of their stay, so Walman had been pressed into service. Occasionally, a hand accompanied by a grunt would reach back to the crewman. When he wasn't needed, Walman allowed his attention to drift over the camp and to the surrounding area, sometimes missing a request much to Danziger's annoyance.

Yale approached, seeking. "Is John around?"

"In here," Danziger answered, popping his head out a nearby hatch. "What's up?"

"I wanted to let you know, Julia has administered the bonehealer. I didn't want it to take you by surprise. It should take effect in the next few hours. Due to the severity of his condition, she expects it to be considerably worse than when Alonzo's leg was healed."

"I heard he was pretty loud," the mechanic observed. "At the time, I was glad I missed it."

Walman nodded ready agreement. "Made me never want to break anything, that's for sure."

Danziger tipped his head toward the med-tent. "How's she holding up?"

Yale sighed. Resting his hands on the vehicle, he shook his head. "She's doing her best to stay focused. Once this is all over, I don't know...."

"Any idea when he can go back?"

"With the timetable she has given me, Gilbert should be ready to travel early tomorrow morning."

"Good. The sooner this is over, the better. We need to get 'Lonz back and get the hell out of here. I still don't like the conditions of his return."

"I don't know that any of us does, John," the tutor agreed. "They are holding all the cards. Let's just hope they keep to their word."

ooooooooooooooo

As William neared the main cavern, he could hear Alonzo grunting and moaning in pain. Turning the corner, he could see Wilson busy with the pilot.

His burden of meat forgotten, William interrupted Wilson sharply, "Rogers said he's not supposed to be untied!"

Wilson briefly glanced at William in annoyance before turning back to what he was doing. "He can be for this. The ropes get in my way." While William watched impatiently, he finished with the pilot and deftly retied his bindings.

"I'm telling Rogers."

"Go ahead, William. I'm not gonna worry about it." Wilson slapped Alonzo firmly on the rump, then frowned at the lack of reaction from the bound man. "Nothing, Pilot? Interesting. Here, William, help me turn him over."

William easily flipped Alonzo over, placing him neatly in the middle of the pelt covered pallet. The pilot gripped the frame tightly as his world was turned upside down again and let out a yelp as he landed on his back. Fighting to regain his equilibrium, Alonzo opened his eyes slowly. Wilson saw the fear in the pilot's glazed eyes as their gazes met for a moment. Keeping their eyes locked, he slapped the pilot again with a resounding smack, this time on the thigh.

"Did that hurt?"

Alonzo averted his gaze. After a moment, he shook his head slightly.

"You broke him, Wilson! You're in big trouble! Rogers said not to break him."

Wilson considered the bound man. The pilot trembled under the convict's scrutiny. Alonzo's skin glistened with a fine sheen of sweat, his hair stuck to his forehead and in every direction in thick spikes. Dark bruises stood out in stark definition on his pale skin. The cut on his forehead oozed a thin trail of blood past the loosened scab.

"I didn't break you, did I, Pilot?"

Alonzo regarded the man standing over him uncertainly. With trepidation, he mutely shook his head.

"See, William? Just like I told you." He reached beyond Alonzo for a moment, then brought a cup up to the pilot's lips. "Here. Drink it."

Without a word, the pilot opened his mouth to accept the thick liquid. As Wilson slowly poured, Alonzo swallowed down the concoction Gilbert had prepared for him before he left.

William watched Alonzo intently as his trembling eased and he fell into a drugged sleep. As Wilson drew the covers over the pilot's still form, William asked, "Do we have to give him back?"

"We'll have to see what Rogers decides," Wilson answered distractedly as he went to tend the fire.

ooooooooooooooo

Morgan wound the ATV down toward the small pond, the water jugs bouncing loudly behind him. He looked around nervously as he left the relative safety of the perimeter markers then headed for the water beyond. The ATV swayed and bobbed over the small mounds which dotted the grassy plain then leveled out as Morgan approached a sandy spot beyond. Once he reached the small wasteland which stretched toward the pond, he could see the craters for the first time. He eyed the odd craters and fantastically colored pools curiously, wondering what lay beneath. Surely, there must be amazing riches under the water. Seeking the source of their radiance, Morgan slowed the vehicle to peer intently into the depths.

Some of the crew had mentioned the pools around the campfire the evening before, intriguing the liaison into volunteering for this chore just to take a look at them. Morgan had grown in his time on the planet but old habits died hard and the stories were like a flame was to a moth. The pools glistened as the sun explored their depths, the sand surrounding them glittering like diamonds. Morgan mentally cataloged the brilliant colors excitedly, the rich sapphire, emerald and crimsons all melding into a riotous blend of every color in the rainbow.

Tiny bubbles rose from the depths as Morgan watched curiously, a singular string which came to dance on the surface before popping in a show of delicate effervescence. He wondered what would give off the little bubbles only to jump in alarm as a large, fist sized bubble came to join them in a loud, sulfurous glurg. Alarmed at the bubble and the possibility of what would live below to expel it, Morgan kicked the ATV into motion as a menacing fog began to blanket the area and encircle him.

A wail, first sounding low then building into a scream suddenly emanated from the camp, distracting the liaison. The ATV slowed as he paused to look over his shoulder in shock at the source of the noise just in time to see the explosion triggered behind him. Morgan turned away from the explosion in alarm, yelling at the top of his lungs as the ground heaved and bucked under the small vehicle which careened toward the pond edge.

As the vehicle rolled into the water, Morgan jumped from it, then ran, screaming, into the woods beyond. "We're under attack! We're under attack!"

Despite the warnings, everyone stopped in their tracks as Gilbert began screaming in the med-tent. When explosions unexpectedly started erupting in the distance to the accompaniment of additional screaming from outside the camp, they all scattered, frantically dodging in every direction, taking cover and scrambling for their weapons. As they all scanned the horizon for the source of the explosions, plumes could be seen shooting high into the air between the small encampment and the pond beyond.

"Zero, report!" Danziger yelled as he armed his Mag-Pro.

"I detect one lifeform outside the perimeter at 300 meters, moving rapidly in our direction from 30 degrees south/southwest," the robot reported. "However, my sensors are unable to penetrate much of the surrounding sediment."

Danziger swore under his breath, jumping as another explosion could be heard over the slight rise between the camp and the pond. He could see steam continue shooting skyward in the distance and wondered what would cause that. He tensed even more when he noticed a dense fog begin to creep over the small hillocks towards camp.

Hunched over to stay low, Devon ran up to him. "What's going on? Who's shooting at us?"

"I don't know!" he bobbed his head in the direction of the med-tent, where the unintelligible wails continued unabated. "It has to be some of his buddies but I don't see anything!"

Bess ran up to them, her eyes wide. "Morgan's out there! He went to get water!"

Danziger cursed some more and shook his head. With another nervous glance at the encroaching mist, he surveyed the camp and surrounding area to assess the situation, counting off people as he went. Mazatl peered out from behind some containers, with Denner and Cameron barely visible behind him where they huddled in a corner of the geodesic arch. Baines had tossed both children into the TransRover, locking them in and taking up a position at its step. Walman gestured from where he had holed up with Magus on the other side of the TransRover. Danziger shrugged back at him, signaling for him to watch the opposite direction.

The wails from the med-tent began to take form as Gilbert's pleas for relief, for mercy and for help echoed loudly off the nearby canyon walls. Danziger tensed as he saw Baines slightly rise with his Mag-Pro pointed over the mechanic's shoulder. Whipping around with his own weapon whining in his ears, Danziger saw a man taking form, running out of the strange fog directly toward the perimeter markers, his hands waving in the air, shouting at the top of his lungs.

"LET ME IN! We're under attack!"

"John, it's Morgan!" Devon shouted as his finger slowly began to squeeze the trigger.

Danziger raised his weapon in the nick of time and stood, his heart pounding at the near miss, while Bess ran to let her husband in.

The med-tent suddenly grew silent, drawing everyone's attention to it for a brief second, yet, in the distance, the noisy explosions continued.

Done assisting the doctor, Yale ducked out of the med-tent to join Devon and Danziger. He looked around in alarm at the martial readiness of the camp, taking in the tense situation. "What is happening? Is everyone all right?"

Another eruption caught the tutor's attention, causing him to whip his head around to find the source, as Devon explained, "We don't know, Yale! Ever since Gilbert started screaming, there have been explosions over there!"

The cyborg peered in the direction of the noise, first from where they stood then, his eyes widening in amazement, climbing up onto the large vehicle for a better view. Devon watched curiously as the tutor's jaw dropped in shock at what he saw. Hanging onto a handhold, Yale leaned back and started chuckling.

"What? What is it, Yale?"

"Devon, we're not under attack... There are geysers there!"

"Geysers? Are you serious?" Devon stood on her tiptoes, her arms akimbo as she strained to see the geological oddities.

"What the hell is a geyser?" Danziger asked irritably.

"You're sure it's safe?" Morgan's eyes were still wild with fear. "There were explosions everywhere!"

"Yes, Mr. Martin, you're quite safe. On Earth, they are a rare natural occurrence." Yale climbed down from the large vehicle to explain as Julia approached.

"Wait a minute." Danziger rounded on Morgan. "Weren't you on the ATV?"

Morgan swallowed nervously, leaning back from the mechanic's wrath. "Uh, yeah..."

"Where is it?"

"It's out by the pond," Morgan protested. "I wasn't gonna sit out there with a big target on my back!"

The doctor stepped into the space next to Devon, sparing a quick, curious glance around the camp before reporting, "It's done. His bones still need time to harden, but it looks good. I've sedated him to keep him still for the time being but should have him ambulatory by dark."

"That's fantastic, Julia!" Devon enthused. "When will you leave to get Alonzo?"

"I'm hoping at first light tomorrow. Is the DuneRail ready?"

Danziger nodded. "It's all set to go, with a full charge. You sure about this, Doc?"

Julia hugged her arms to herself and rocked slightly on the balls of her feet. She met the mechanic's eyes. "Yes. I'm sure."

"I guess I need to go get the ATV." the mechanic muttered with a dangerous glare in Morgan's direction.

ooooooooooooooo  
--end Part 5—


	6. Chapter 6

Part 6  
ooooooooooooooo

Wondering once again what he had managed to get himself into, Morgan clung to the sidebar of the DuneRail, watching the path ahead for his fate. They had driven since daybreak, first along the canyon floor then up into the hills beyond, pausing only for a meal he couldn't swallow. Gilbert had led them along a relatively smooth path, apparently doubling back a number of times to confuse them or anyone foolish enough to try to follow. Finally, with the sun now high in the sky, they emerged from a small copse of trees and neared a narrow ravine.

"Pull up next to that opening and stop the vehicle."

Julia obediently brought the vehicle to a halt and looked around expectantly.

"Now, get out," Gilbert instructed. He climbed out, still careful with his newly healed leg, and ducked behind some rocks, searching. Moments later, he emerged with bundles of cloth. "Strip down and get into these," he ordered.

Morgan looked anxiously at Julia, trying to gauge her reaction. "Why do you want us to--"

"I need to ensure you haven't brought any transmitters." As the doctor turned to change, he tersely added, "No. Stay right here and change. I need to see you. Hand me your medical bag."

Maintaining a restrained dignity, Julia stripped in front of the man, quickly slipping into the offered rags before neatly folding her clothing and placing them on the front seat of the vehicle. She then pulled the small medical bag Gilbert had allowed her out of the back seat and handed it to him.

With a nervous gulp, Morgan followed suit. He didn't meet Gilbert's eyes as he pulled on the tattered clothes.

"Help me cover the vehicle," Gilbert then ordered as he handed the bag back to the young doctor. "We don't want the grendlers to find it."

They drove the DuneRail closer to a rock face, then propped boughs against it.

Once the Rail was covered to his satisfaction, Gilbert informed them, "We walk from here."

"How much further?" Julia asked as she hefted the medical bag.

"Maybe a couple hours."

"Hours?" Morgan asked anxiously.

"Yes. You don't seriously think we'd lead you to our front door, do you?"

Brooking no further conversation, Gilbert turned on his heel and marched off along the narrow ravine floor, with Julia and Morgan closely following. A short while later the trio came to a cave entrance, partially hidden behind some boulders and dusty from underuse. Without slowing, Gilbert continued his travels underground, through a maze of caves and tunnels worn smooth over the millennia.

They traveled the tunnels in silence. At times, the caves grew very dark and small creatures could be heard skittering from their path, other times, the Morganite was more plentiful, illuminating the caverns and tunnels in stark definition.

Morgan was exhausted. He had not slept well in anticipation of this trip. The excitement the day before when Gilbert was healed, then facing the music with a thankfully somewhat constrained Danziger over the waterlogged ATV had made for a long day. And, now, the long, winding journey coupled with the tension and fear of the unknown put his strained nerves on a razor's edge. Morgan did his best to keep up, the fear of being left behind warring with the fear of what awaited. The cavern shadows chased Morgan on. On to what, he didn't wish to contemplate.

Carefully watching his step and left to his own thoughts, the liaison found himself wondering even more than he had over the past few days what lay ahead. What had really happened to Alonzo? When they found him, would he be the same man he had come to know as a friend?

Morgan watched Julia march ahead of him, her back stiff, her steps determined. When Morgan had disappeared overnight after her abortive DNA experiment, Bess had been murderously frantic. Morgan couldn't imagine what would have happened if this had happened to Bess, catching himself worrying if that was indeed what was happening now.

Morgan mulled over the curious events the night before. The previous night Julia had come to their tent, Morgan had thought it was for him but, instead, tight-lipped, the doctor had asked to speak with Bess privately. Morgan had been caught off-guard by the request, but one look at Julia was enough to send him searching for his wife. Even with all the time they spent together, the two women had never been particularly close, coming to physical blows when Morgan had disappeared. While Bess had forgiven Julia, the gulf which separated them since the day they crashed still persisted, even if in a more diminished form.

Julia and Bess went for a long walk into the night, not returning until quite late. Upon her return, Bess wordlessly came to bed. When Morgan asked her what Julia wanted, Bess uncharacteristically had nothing to share. She clung to her husband that night, it unnerved him how she seemed to be memorizing everything about him.

Morgan was puzzled why this time would be any different from any other time Alonzo had gone missing – it had certainly happened before. With one more look at the set of Julia's shoulders, he suddenly understood what had likely passed between the two women and realized he loved his wife even more than ever before.

Of all the people Julia would find herself having to turn to, the irony wasn't lost on the lawyer. Bess had lost her loved one to an unknown fate at Julia's hand and found him again and, now, was sending him into the dangerous unknown with Julia to hopefully find Julia's own love and return him home.

Entering a small cavern, Gilbert came to an abrupt stop. "I'm afraid I need to rest for a minute," he apologized with a grimace.

"Is your leg sore?"

"I'm just not accustomed to using it so much," he admitted as he leaned against a nearby ledge, panting and rubbing his calf.

"Would you like a painblock?" Julia turned to rummage in her bag.

Staying her with a hand, Gilbert shook his head. "I'm sure I'll be regretting this hike by tomorrow, but I should be all right. Thank you, Doctor." He appraised her reticently. Releasing a big sigh, Gilbert met Julia's eyes. "It's only fair I prepare you," he admitted. "Alonzo has some injuries."

"I gathered as much between what Rogers told us and what you told me I could pack," Julia observed cautiously. "What sort of injuries?"

Gilbert shrugged. "We're nearly there. I think it's better for you to evaluate him yourself. I'm definitely not a doctor. I can tell you he lost a lot of blood."

"Why not just tell us everything?" Morgan argued impatiently. "We're gonna find out soon enough."

"Mr. Martin, I've been with you. Remember? I don't know what his current condition is." Seeing both people stiffen, he quickly added, "If anything serious happened, I can assure you they would have let me know."

"How can we be so sure of that?" Morgan demanded.

"Trust me. I'd know," Gilbert asserted before thrusting himself away from the wall to lead them down yet another tunnel.

Gradually, the tunnels changed. Footprints could occasionally be seen as well as the unmistakable debris associated with human habitation. After a while, Gilbert's pace quickened with Julia resolutely following close behind. Looking up, Morgan spied lacy tendrils of smoke tracing well worn paths on the soot blackened ceilings. After passing through a few pillared anterooms, they emerged into a large cavern.

From near a fire, Rogers quickly rose to greet Gilbert and his companions, "Gilbert! We've been expecting you! How are you? How's the leg?"

Gilbert clapped the other man on the back in greeting and did an awkward jig to demonstrate the extent of his healing. "Look! Julia said I should be back to normal in a few months if I follow her instructions."

"Well done, Doctor, and welcome. Mr. Martin," Rogers acknowledged them both with a nod. He led the trio further into the cavern and directed them to a raised, fur covered pallet near the central fire. "You've made good on your side of the bargain-- Gilbert, you're satisfied?" Off Gilbert's nod, he continued, "I'm sure Alonzo will be happy to see you."

Her diaglove already in place, Julia rushed forward. She could see the pilot was laying face down with only his head exposed under the pile of animal pelts. As she drew close, the doctor could see the puzzling net of fibers crisscrossing his head, holding it firmly. With Morgan at her heels, she pulled the pelts away, exposing the pilot for the first time.

"Oh my god! What...?!"

Morgan rushed up beside her and blanched as his stomach heaved. Staggering back from the sight of the pilot's battered body tied securely to the framework which surrounded him, Morgan half-turned into a solid mass. A giant stood in his path, his huge hands balled into fists at his side.

"You shouldn't have come!" the giant bellowed.

At that, Morgan fainted.

ooooooooooooooo

Unable to sleep, Devon rose early. It had been another sleepless night punctuated with second-guesses and self-recrimination. As she emerged from her tent, the sun was just beginning to paint the sky dusky purples and reds.

Two days had passed since Morgan and Julia had gone to retrieve Alonzo and they had not yet returned. The tensions in camp had grown, seemingly hourly, as doubts fed and grew upon each other. Devon wondered, again, if they had sent two more of their group into harm's way. Leaving Alonzo to whatever fate he had encountered was simply not an option, but she would never forgive herself if Julia or Morgan were sacrificed to save him. If the pilot were ever to return at all.

Lost in her thoughts, Devon mused how they had run into these situations before, and had been amazingly lucky each time. In a tumultuous year on this planet, only two of their companions from the escape pod had been lost: Broderick O'Neill and Eben Singe. As much as both people were greatly missed, Devon knew it was due to sheer luck and teamwork that they all hadn't shared their fate.

Looking around camp, she spied Danziger and Yale in an apparently heated conversation by the TransRover. Walman and Mazatl, both heavily armed with packs on in the early morning heat, shifted nervously from foot to foot nearby. Trotting in their direction, Devon watched as Walman noticed her approach and turned to speak with the big mechanic with one eye on her. The conversation paused as Danziger glanced over his shoulder at her and shook his head in resignation.

"What's going on?" Devon asked as she drew near. "Are you going somewhere?"

"They were going on a rescue mission," Yale informed Devon tersely with upraised eyebrows. "John and I were discussing how foolhardy that was."

"It's not foolhardy, it's protecting our own," Danziger argued. "There's no telling what they're doing to them now or what they'll pull on us next."

"Danziger, they said no following," Devon reminded the mechanic.

"I know, but that was two days ago! Now, they not only have Alonzo, whose value they have already informed us of in graphic detail, but our doctor as well! We can't just sit by--"

"We have to," Devon interrupted.

"Devon, we have to do something."

Devon turned to the crewman. "I understand your frustration, Walman. I just don't think we should countermand their wishes. Not yet. Gilbert went home happy--"

"Maybe too happy," Danziger interjected.

"Hopefully they will honor the deal we made."

"And, if they don't?"

With a brief glance at Yale, she faced the mechanic, her face falling. "I don't know; I wish I did. I just know this isn't the answer."

Danziger pursed his lips. His sunglasses slid down his nose so he could look over them at Devon. His eyes softened as he determinedly told her, "I'll give them one more day then I AM going. We can't wait any longer than that."

Yale nodded past Danziger's elbow at Devon, who shadowed his nod with her own. Danziger's concession would have to do. One more day.

ooooooooooooooo

--end Part 6--


	7. Chapter 7

Part 7  
ooooooooooooooo

As Morgan pulled the DuneRail over the last rise, Julia glanced over her shoulder to check Alonzo before turning to watch the camp draw near. His most recent medication gradually wearing off, the pilot dozed fitfully where he lay across the backseat. Julia watched as the DuneRail was finally noticed and the remainder of Eden Advance rapidly clustered around just inside the camp perimeter to await the approaching vehicle. With another glance at the pilot, Julia exchanged a relieved smile with Morgan and then waved to the gathered throng.

As they eagerly returned the wave, Alonzo groaned awake, immediately drawing the doctor's attention. While he unevenly blinked up at her, Julia tended to the pilot as Morgan slowly drove into camp and directly to the med-tent. The members of the camp kept pace with the vehicle, questions forming on their lips silenced by a quick view of the bundled up pilot lying in the back.

Morgan jumped out of the DuneRail and into Bess' arms. Granting his wife a kiss and a tight squeeze, he quickly turned to face Julia where she hovered over Alonzo, scanning. "Is he ready to move?"

"I think so... Alonzo, we're in camp now. Do you think you can walk?"

The pilot earnestly met her eyes and slowly nodded. He cautiously reached out a hand to Morgan, who directed an unspoken request to Danziger.

As the mechanic wordlessly took the pilot's other hand and Morgan gently swung Alonzo's legs over the side of the vehicle, Julia quietly admonished, "Remember, I'm only letting you do this if you let them do all of the work. Keep your back straight and don't strain yourself."

Nodding his understanding to the doctor, Alonzo worried his bottom lip, biting down hard with a grunt as Danziger, following Morgan's lead, helped the pilot out of the vehicle and onto his feet. Alonzo swayed unsteadily, his legs buckling slightly as he relied heavily upon the two men for support.

"Only hang onto him by the arms and upper body," Morgan instructed as he felt the pilot cringe at the contact.

Taken aback by the trembling through the unexpectedly thick bandages, the mechanic hesitantly slid his hands higher with a tense nod.

"Alonzo, are you OK?" Morgan asked nervously as the pilot's face paled even further and his head drooped towards the liaison.

"'s OK... Gimme a minute," Alonzo mumbled into Morgan's ear as he stiffly regained some stability. "OK, that's better... ..so dizzy..."

"It's that vertigo Julia warned you about. Remember what we did before? Close your eyes. Let me navigate," Morgan whispered, noting Julia and Danziger overhearing with an upraised eyebrow.

Alonzo squeezed his eyes shut with a sigh and mutely nodded, carefully picking his steps as the two men half-carried him into the tent.

"Help him onto his stomach," Julia instructed, hovering everywhere at once as she closely supervised the procedure.

The men guided the pilot until his knees met the cot edge and paused so Morgan could hurriedly round the bed.

"All right, Alonzo, slowly now. We're almost there," Julia encouraged once Morgan was in position.

His eyes still closed, the pilot spared the doctor a slight smile before blindly working his way onto the bed, folding his arms underneath himself as he allowed his body to be gently lowered into the bedding. Danziger straightened with a frown while he watched Alonzo shift and settle with small grunts as the doctor and liaison arranged padding and blankets around the pilot with a practiced familiarity. With a word from Julia, Morgan dashed outside to return a moment later with a container.

The mechanic wrinkled his nose as the container was opened and a small amount of a vile liquid was poured into a cup then offered for the pilot to slurp down. His eyes watering, Danziger watched in morbid fascination as Alonzo tilted his head to readily drink the revolting substance then placidly rested his head back onto the pillow. Setting the now empty cup aside, Julia paused from scanning to lightly stroke Alonzo's hair while he promptly faded asleep.

Allowing the doctor a little private space, Morgan stood and backed a few steps until he was alongside Danziger.

"We were starting to worry. You were gone longer than expected."

Morgan pressed his lips together grimly, his expressive eyes never leaving Alonzo, as he responded, "It was pretty bad. We couldn't move him right away and we had to take it slow."

"You did good, Martin."

Morgan looked in surprise at the unexpected praise, unsure how to respond. The mechanic stood absorbed in watching the doctor and her patient.

"Morgan, could you please get me the bandages? I need to change Alonzo's dressing."

While Morgan retrieved the crate full of bandaging material, Julia eased the sleeping pilot's blankets down to his waist and slid his shirt up his torso. Danziger blanched when he saw the solid blanket of dark bruises which crawled out from underneath the tight bindings at Alonzo's waist and crept up the pilot's back to disappear under the folds of his shirt. Glancing away for a moment, Danziger noted that Devon and Yale had both followed them in, their worry evident in the deepening lines on their faces. Bess bustled in, offering food to the two returning rescuers and, with a nod, Yale motioned Devon and Danziger out of the tent.

"Tomorrow is soon enough," the tutor explained serenely. "They are obviously exhausted. For now, it is enough that they are home."

Danziger nodded in acquiescence as he scanned the group loitering nearby. "Let's all finish our chores before it gets dark," he encouraged, scooping his daughter up in the process.

With curious glances and hushed murmurs, the group slowly dispersed.

ooooooooooooooo

John Danziger emerged from his tent into the bright morning sun. He stretched stiffly and grunted, windmilling his arms to chase away the night's kinks as he wandered over to the firepit. The mechanic quickly gulped down his rations as he debriefed the sentries, then, thankfully grabbing the cup Denner offered, strode quickly to the med-tent.

As he slowly straightened inside the tent door, Danziger met Devon's eyes with a nod, then noticed Alonzo sleeping curled onto his side. Silently crossing the tent, Danziger crouched next to Devon where she sat alongside Alonzo's cot. "How's he doing?" he whispered as he glanced around in search of the doctor.

"He needs surgery today but he's apparently going to be fine. Depending on how the surgery goes, we should be able to continue our journey tomorrow. I didn't get a chance to get much more than that out of Julia before she went out for a little while to tend to a few things."

"If she's willing to leave him, he must be OK," Danziger noted with a touch of relieved irony, smiling tightly at Devon's emphatic nod.

Alonzo shifted slightly, his arms revealing themselves to their scrutiny as his hands slipped out from under the blanket to pull at the pillow. Devon reached out to lightly stroke the cruel abrasions which encircled his wrists and snaked an angry path up the pilot's arms. Alonzo immediately recoiled from her touch, rolling away and burrowing his arms back under the blankets, apparently without waking.

Pulling her hands away as if burned, Devon's heart sank as she watched Alonzo. Shaking off her shock at the pilot's reaction, Devon glanced over to Danziger, worriedly watching as the big mechanic's face reddened with anger, before looking back to the slumbering pilot as he shifted again. She was surprised to find Alonzo's dark eyes lazily trained upon her.

Once she met his gaze, Alonzo's face broke into a sleepy smile. "Hey... Miss me?"

Smiling, Devon reached out to touch the pilot, then uncertainly checked herself, awkwardly resting her clenched hands in her lap instead. She bent close to him, as she asked, "How are you feeling? We were so worried about you."

"I'm OK," Alonzo answered distractedly. He squinted as his eyes wandered the tent. "Where's Julia?"

"She wanted to tend to a few things while you were sleeping. I'm not sure what. Do you need her? I can call her on gear," Devon offered, as she reached for her headset.

Alonzo met Devon's eyes and shook his head gamely. "Nah. Don't bother her. I'm fine, just really sore. I was hoping I could have more of that stuff."

"Stuff?"

"Yeah, some kind of herb soup or something. It takes some getting used to but it helps..."

"I think I know what you're talking about," Danziger offered, relieved to have something to do. "Let me see if I can find it."

"Alonzo, are you supposed to have it?"

"Yeah. They give it to me every time I wake up. It numbs everything and helps me sleep."

"I'll call Julia just to be sure." Devon reached for her gear only to be interrupted as Danziger uncapped the small container and a strong odor caused her to clamp her hands over her nose.

"I found it," Danziger choked out, as Alonzo watched the two of them in tired amusement.

"What are you doing? Did Julia say he could have that?" Morgan hustled into the tent in indignant outrage, nearly spilling the small bowl he carried in his haste.

"We were just about to check with Julia. Alonzo asked us to. Why?"

"Well... Only Julia is supposed to give it to him. He's on a strict schedule with that. Sorry, Alonzo," Morgan apologized to the startled pilot.

Before Alonzo could form a protest, Morgan indicated the bowl with a wave toward the pilot before setting it down on a nearby crate. "I'm glad you're up, Bess made you some broth. You don't need that cocktail, what you really need is a good meal. You know what they say -- never underestimate the power of soup!"

Morgan shrugged with a self-deprecating grin as he began rearranging Alonzo's blankets and padding, then enlisted Danziger's assistance to encourage the bemused pilot into a slightly better position to eat. He carefully helped Alonzo sip down the warm broth, his eyes occasionally casting a protective warning at their two observers. Once Alonzo finished, Morgan eased the drowsy pilot deep into the bedding and quietly visited until Alonzo had once again drifted off to sleep.

Following the liaison's lead, Devon and Danziger sat quietly, silencing their questions until the pilot was asleep.

"Morgan, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, Devon. Alonzo just doesn't know we're weaning him from his dependence on it. Well... He didn't anyway..." Morgan frowned and played with the edge of the blanket.

"Weaning him?" Devon asked incredulously.

"What dependence? You're saying he's addicted to that stuff?" Danziger asked angrily, sitting down and nodding meekly when Devon's hand flew to his arm and Morgan urgently dipped his head in Alonzo's direction with a shushing motion.

"Julia said not so much addicted as he can't just stop taking it all of a sudden. We have more than enough to take him off gradually. Julia just thought it would be easier for him if he didn't know what she was doing."

"Well, that was generous of them. What did you have to trade for that?" Danziger abruptly bit out.

"A supply of bonehealers for each of them. Julia's probably out getting the extra compounds she needs for them right now."

"You can't be serious..."

Devon shook her head. "For each of them? How many are there?"

"Four. It was a fair trade," Morgan protested.

"Yeah," Danziger noted resentfully. "They addict 'Lonz so we need something, then agree to a trade-- Only four? Are you sure?" Danziger grumbled under his breath, then angrily suggested, "After all they've done, we should go teach them a lesson."

"No one is going anywhere," Julia corrected as she carried a small crate full of specimens into the tent. Noticing the empty bowl next to the pilot, she set her crate aside and approached the cot. "He woke up?" she asked Morgan.

Over Morgan's affirmative nod, Devon confirmed, "He woke up about ten minutes ago. He wanted some of that concoction you brought back with you. We were just about to call you when Morgan came in."

Drawing the blanket back from the foot of the bed, Julia nodded absently. Lightly grasping one of the pilot's feet, she manipulated the bottom of it, silently watching Alonzo's toes curl before switching to his other foot. "Did he take all of the broth?"

Alonzo's other leg nearly jerked out of Julia's hand in reaction to the stimulus, as Morgan responded, "Yup. He got really sleepy right afterwards. Just like before."

Satisfied with Alonzo's reflexes, Julia carefully tucked the blankets back into place before rising to retrieve her diaglove from where it lay on a nearby counter. "The trauma weakened him considerably. That, coupled with the medication he's currently on, should keep him quiet for a while."

At Devon and Danziger's worried frowns, she confidently added, "He should be fine to travel, just as long as we can keep him comfortable and the terrain doesn't become too rough. Let me finish this and then we can talk. I need to get the bonehealers ready. They should be here for them soon." Without waiting for an answer, Julia turned to busy herself with her compounding.

Unsure what else to do, Devon watched the pilot sleep peacefully. She sneaked a peek at Danziger where he appeared content to sit quietly for the time being as well. As difficult a situation as this seemed to be, Devon found simple comfort in having Alonzo back. Her family was complete again. That was enough for her for the time being. Yale had assured her, with patience and love, everything else would get better in time. She worriedly glanced at the mechanic again, wondering if he would be able to walk away from any chance at retribution.

Finished with her task, Julia slipped her diaglove on and crossed the tent to start scanning her patient. As the diaglove hummed by his head, Alonzo shifted and sighed. Opening his eyes, he groggily slid his gaze up the doctor's arm hovering over his chest and met her eyes.

"Hello." Julia's smile widened as the pilot gave her a lopsided grin in reply. "How are you feeling this morning?"

"Really sore." Then, with a deep breath, Alonzo confessed, "Kinda sick." He sought Julia's eyes as she immediately began scanning him again.

"Nausea?"

"Yeah, a bit."

"In your stomach?"

"Mostly, I guess. You know... That stuff helps..."

The doctor exchanged a glance with the others before explaining, "Alonzo, I've had to modify the dosage of that medication. It's extremely powerful and they were giving you far too much for your condition. I'm trying to get you more regulated, so we can maximize the benefits with the least risk to you. Your body needs to adjust to the changes. Do you think you can try to tough it out for a little while longer? Then I'll give you some more. OK?"

"Soon?" Off Julia's nod, Alonzo grudgingly agreed. Lying back, he looked around at the others, noticing the uncomfortable silence for the first time. "I'm sorry about the ATV, John."

"Don't worry about it." Danziger quietly dismissed. "What's important is that you're OK."

Alonzo eyed the mechanic uncertainly. "I suppose..." He shifted uncomfortably, turning his body restlessly with a grimace as he sought a better position. Discouraged with the situation, he leaned his head back into the pillow to look up at Julia. "Can't get comfortable..."

"Here, Alonzo," Morgan offered, glad to be of help. He picked up some of the padding they had used the night before that had been kicked onto the ground. "Let's try this. It worked ok last night, didn't it?"

Off Alonzo's tentative nod, Morgan gently eased the pilot onto his side with Julia's help. They both slipped some padding under the covers to help support the pilot's body. While they lifted him onto his side, Alonzo swayed dangerously close to the cot's edge. Seeing this, Devon held her hand out to support him from behind. When he came into contact with Devon's hand, the pilot suddenly arched his back as if struck by a current. His breath whistled through his teeth in a barely contained yelp as Devon snatched her hand away.

"I'm sorry!" Devon apologized.

Stricken, she watched anxiously as Alonzo feebly grabbed Morgan's arm for support as a shudder coursed through his body. Morgan froze and waited patiently as the pilot gathered himself. Once his breathing calmed, Julia and Morgan repositioned him once again and finished gently padding the pilot to his grudging satisfaction.

Alonzo panted as he gingerly settled into the new position. "It was almost easier when I was tied up," he observed unhappily to the doctor.

"Why is that?" she asked curiously, as Devon and Danziger exchanged alarmed looks.

"It kept me still so it didn't hurt so much and I just had to let go and sleep that way. Besides, they gave me the stuff when I woke up, so it was easy to sleep."

"It's almost time for your next dose," Julia assured him.

Alonzo weakly sighed and shifted again.

Amid shouts from outside, Magus ducked her head into the tent. "John, you'd better get out here. We've got visitors."

With a low growl, Danziger shot to his feet and stalked out of the tent. "Drop the markers. Let them in."

"Devon. Who?"

Taking a quick step out of the tent behind Danziger, Devon leaned in the open flap to answer the doctor, "Rogers and one other. He's huge."

"William. They must be here for the bonehealers." Morgan told the doctor, who nodded tensely as she rose to accompany him.

"We have to talk to them!" Julia hurriedly dashed out of the tent with Morgan on her heels.

Alonzo tried to make sense of the bewildering commotion around him. "What's going on?" he cried out to Morgan's retreating back. The pilot listened from his cot as the disturbance outside the tent grew louder, more heated. Drawing a breath through his teeth, Alonzo struggled up to a sitting position, pausing to catch his breath as the tent slowly stopped spinning. After a couple of false starts, the pilot heaved himself up onto his feet only to stagger sideways before his arms latched onto a nearby monitor for support...

ooooooooooooooo  
--end Part 7--


	8. Chapter 8

Part 8  
ooooooooooooooo

Julia emerged from the tent to utter chaos. A crowd had formed near the med-tent, surrounding the face-off between Danziger and Rogers. William stood nearby at Rogers' shoulder, watching the colonists raptly while Bess stood between the two men.

"You already got what you wanted. You aren't welcome here."

"Danziger! Wait!"

"I can't believe you, Bess! You've seen 'Lonz!"

"You don't understand--"

Julia forcibly pushed herself to the mechanic's side. "Danziger, she's right. Leave them alone. They're just here for the bonehealers and then they'll leave."

"Julia, you, too? Look, 'Lonz is safe, that's all that matters. We don't need anything else from them and I don't think their actions deserve our following through with anything either!"

"What's going on?" Alonzo's soft voice broke the brief silence which followed the mechanic's outburst, drawing everyone's attention in a rush. Barefoot and disheveled, the pilot stood unsteadily at the mouth of the med-tent, his hands gripping the taut canvas for support.

Not having had more than a glimpse of him the previous day, his campmates were taken aback at the pilot's appearance; the shadows on his pale skin accentuated the past week's weight loss while red welts wound their way in every imaginable direction on his exposed skin. Alonzo swayed uncertainly under everyone's scrutiny. Stubbornly, he fought against the darkness which crowded his vision while his hands clutched the tent fabric more tightly. Without warning, the pain which had settled in his back abruptly spiked down his legs, causing them to crumple beneath him. Distantly, he felt himself falling.

The pilot's sudden appearance startled the camp into silence, leaving them all momentarily immobile until his grip slipped and he began to fall.

"Alonzo!" Before the pilot could hit the ground, William brushed through the crowd as if through blades of grass and swept Alonzo into his arms as though he were a small child.

The Edenites tensed when the large man snatched Alonzo up, then watched in surprise when Alonzo passively leaned into his chest.

William looked down at Alonzo. "You're supposed to stay in bed, Alonzo. Don't make me have to tie you up again." he added, then grinned.

Grasping the front of the giant's shirt, Alonzo leaned up to weakly whisper to him. William scanned the crowd before finally fixing his gaze on Julia and Rogers where they were slowly weaving their way to the front of the crowd. Afraid of what the much larger man would do, everyone else stood frozen in place, merely sparing a nervous glance as the pair gingerly slipped past.

"Easy, Julia," Devon warned.

Hearing the soft whine of Mag-Pros, Julia waved a hand behind herself. "It's all right, Devon. Please let Rogers handle it."

"William, why don't we bring Pilot into the tent here," Rogers gently suggested as he drew near.

Protectively shielding the pilot, William shook his head. "Do we have to leave him here? I missed him."

Rogers nodded with a wry smile. "I'm afraid so. This is where he belongs."

"You don't want to stay here, do you, Alonzo?" William asked.

Alonzo lay limply in the giant's arms.

William frowned at Rogers. "I liked having him around; we had fun when you were away from camp. He talked to me -- even when I hurt him."

"William, what did Alonzo say to you when you picked him up?" Morgan interrupted to ask softly.

"He wanted me to help him."

"How?" the liaison asked.

"He wants to go to bed."

"Are you his friend?"

"Yes."

Morgan tentatively approached, easing past Julia and Rogers to come nearly toe to toe with the other man. "Friends do things for each other. Even when they might not want to. Even when they're afraid."

William shook his head in denial.

"Alonzo needs Julia to take care of him. Just like she took care of Gilbert."

"Gilbert can walk again," William matter-of-factly told the liaison. "He can walk real good. Maybe, run even."

"Yeah," Morgan agreed, "Julia fixed his leg. Now, she has to help Alonzo, but she can't help him until you help him."

"Alonzo's OK," William protested. "He told me so."

"Julia, what's wrong with him?" Devon whispered into the preoccupied doctor's ear, causing her to jump slightly.

"I believe he's a victim of the Council," the doctor finally responded over her shoulder. "Let Morgan and Rogers deal with him. We don't want to upset him."

Taken aback by this revelation, Devon scrutinized the big man again. Alonzo still lay lifelessly in his arms, his head bowed so she couldn't see his face. William had relaxed somewhat as Morgan spoke to him, responding meekly whenever the liaison asked a direct question. Someone bumped her from behind and she looked up to see Danziger standing there, peering through his softly humming Mag-Pro's sights.

"Does Julia think he'd hurt him in front of us?" he asked out the side of his mouth.

"I don't think so." Worriedly observing the slow tightening of an armed circle, Devon answered a little more loudly for the doctor. "She wants Morgan to handle it."

Danziger grunted with a nod. When the mechanic tensed in readiness, Devon looked over to see William and Morgan disappear into the med-tent.

"Please, keep everyone out. I'll send Morgan out in a minute to talk with you."

"But, Julia!"

The protest was lost on the doctor as she and Rogers also ducked into the tent. Unsure how to proceed, everyone exchanged nervous glances, torn between abiding by the doctor's wishes or their own instincts. After a few moments, Morgan emerged in time to intercept his campmates as their inner battle drew them closer and closer to action.

"Alonzo's fine," he assured the worried crowd. "Just, still pretty weak. He came to while we were getting him back into bed."

"Morgan, you left Julia alone with them?" Danziger accused.

"She's fine."

"Augh! Julia! Stop it! It hurts! Stop it! They're killing me!" The pilot's screams motivated everyone into action.

Backing in front of the charge with his arms spread wide, Morgan shouted, "It isn't what it seems!"

"NO! Augh! Julia!"

Following the Mag-Pro, Danziger burst into the tent to find Alonzo struggling on the cot with Rogers and William holding him down.

"Step aside!" the mechanic ordered with a growl and a prompt with the weapon.

Distracted for a moment, Rogers loosened his grip on the pilot's left arm. Wrenching it free from the penal colonist, Alonzo grabbed him by the wrist, his tightening grip causing the man to cry out in pain himself.

"Julia," Alonzo panted. "Please? Please, hurry. On fire..."

Julia.

Danziger's eyes scanned the tent in search of the doctor. Not seeing her, he raised the Mag-Pro to his shoulder.

From where everyone had rushed past her in their haste, Julia brushed through the group to bend over the pilot. Quickly injecting him in the upper thigh, she slipped on her diaglove. With a quick scan of the pilot's lower body, Julia crouched next to William, gently massaging Alonzo's leg. "You're all right," she reassured him. "Relax and give the medication time to work."

Releasing a ragged sigh, the pilot turned his head to face her. "Hurts."

"I know."

"Can't I have some of that stuff?"

"No, Alonzo. I'm sorry, it's too soon. The muscle relaxers I just gave you should help. Feeling better yet?"

"Yeah," Alonzo quietly agreed, releasing Rogers' arm. "Better."

Rogers pulled his arm free of the pilot's grasp in relief and cradled it against his chest with a grimace.

Realizing what he had done, Alonzo turned his head to look up at the penal colonist. "Sorry," he apologized meekly.

Forcing a smile, Rogers waved the pilot away with his other hand. Noticing William, he instructed, "William, he should be all right now. You can let go of him."

Obeying Rogers, William plopped down on the ground next to the cot to curiously watch Alonzo's leg as its spasms slowly faded to trembling then lay still. Unaware of the scrutiny he was receiving, he poked it experimentally when Julia released it to scan the pilot again. Finished, she knelt down by the head of the cot, lightly smoothing Alonzo's hair as he drifted between consciousnesses.

In the hush that ensued, Rogers met Julia's gaze and held it. "You haven't spoken with them yet," he observed disapprovingly.

Still stroking the now sleeping pilot's hair, Julia shook her head. "I've been busy with Alonzo. The trip back here took a lot out of him. I honestly haven't had a chance."

"Told us what?" Devon asked.

"Everything isn't what it seemed-- Isn't what we were told," Julia began, seeking the best explanation. "Alonzo was seriously injured when he crashed the ATV. Rogers' men didn't hurt him; they most likely saved his life......"

_"Why'd he fall down?" William asked as he bent to look curiously where Morgan lay in a heap on the ground. _

_Torn, Julia instinctively took a step towards Morgan, only to be waved away by Rogers. _

_"Don't worry about him, Doctor. You take care of Pilot. We've got him," Rogers assured her. _

_Julia turned back to Alonzo, surveying the damage the accident had caused with dismay. Underneath the net of ropes, Alonzo's back was a mosaic of deep, angry bruises. A strange cloth lay across the right side of his back from his ribs to his hip, secured only by the ropes, its ends snaked into thin tassels which lay bunched at either end. Gilbert stood across from Julia, watching her attentively. _

_At a loss for where to start, Julia began scanning by rote in a methodical search for injuries. "What's the cloth for?" she asked Gilbert. _

_"A poultice. Some herbs, Grendler spit, a few other things. I can give you the recipe." _

_"Why?" _

_The diaglove answered her question for her. _

_"What happened here?" _

_After directing William to place Morgan nearby but out of the way, Rogers joined them over the pilot. "Let me show you," he offered. He turned to rummage in a cubby nearby. "Here. When we found him, this was stuck in his back. It was jammed open. We couldn't trigger the release." The penal colonist shook his head. "We had a devil of a time getting it out." _

_Julia's heart sank as she looked at the cam piton. The scouts used the climbing tools as stakes to set up a primitive shelter when they found themselves out of camp overnight. The spike could be jammed into a small crevice then, when the tool was pulled, the twin cams, with their sharply toothed edges, would roll out to lock into place. Julia scanned Alonzo's abdomen carefully, reviewing each organ in turn and noting the degree of blood loss with concern. Seeking signs of infection, the doctor was surprised at the clean margins. Something else caught her eye. _

_"I see several blood vessels have been cauterized. I assume he was bleeding quite heavily." _

_Both men nodded readily. _

_"You managed to stop the bleeding but there's some additional damage which needs immediate repair. As much as I'd like to get him back to camp where I have more equipment, he needs treatment now before he's moved, if that's all right with you." _

_"Whatever you need, Doctor," Rogers agreed amiably. _

_"First, he could use a transfusion. His crit is much too low. Morgan is the same blood type. If he's ok with it, he can donate. How's he doing?"_

_"William, is he waking up yet?" Rogers asked. Off William's shrug, Rogers instructed, "Get some water and dump it on his head. The doctor needs him up. No, William, a cup should do." _

_William put the bucket down and reluctantly retrieved a cup. _

_While William roused the liaison, Gilbert asked Rogers, "How are his legs?" _

_"Good today. He's had some bad spasms but he's definitely been feeling them all day." _

_"He hurt his legs also?" Julia asked as the diaglove strayed towards his right leg. _

_"No. He was paralyzed. The vehicle landed on his back. That's why we have him restrained so tight. We didn't want him to move too much before you got here. When we first found him, he couldn't feel anything below his waist. The day after Gilbert left, he started moving his legs a bit. He's been feeling them on and off for a few days now." _

_Morgan sputtered in alarm as he cleared the water streaming in his eyes only to see William peering intently nose to nose with him. "Wha...? Hey! Back off! What's going on?" he squeaked, leaning into the hard rock face behind him. _

_"Morgan, it's all right. Can you please come over here?" Julia asked gently. _

_"If a human mountain wasn't in my way, I'd be happy to accommodate..." _

_"William, let him up. He has to help Pilot." _

_Morgan's eyes grew wide as the giant grabbed him by the arm and propelled him toward Alonzo. He ducked his head sideways as he saw the pilot again. Glad to have somewhere to focus, Morgan looked to Julia for a cue. While he waited anxiously, the doctor kept scanning, only her tightening lips occasionally giving away her findings. _

_"Morgan, Alonzo needs blood. Do you mind donating?" _

_"Here?" _

_Julia nodded as she met his gaze. Morgan rolled his sleeve up in answer. She cut the pilot's right arm free and, sorting through the limited supplies Gilbert had allowed her to pack, wasted no time in setting up a direct line from the liaison to the pilot. Gilbert brought Morgan a stool as the doctor worked in silence. As soon as a sufficient volume passed between the two men, she capped it off and disconnected them. _

_Julia scanned Alonzo thoroughly. She noticed how deeply he slept through all the excitement. "Have you given him something?" she asked. _

_"Yes, Doctor. Would you like a sample to examine?" Gilbert offered, reaching for a container. After shaking the jug vigorously, he poured a cup for the doctor, presenting it for analysis. _

_Repelled by the aroma, Julia held the cup at arm's length as she ran a scanner over it, noting its chemical structure with professional fascination. "This is an incredibly strong narcotic cocktail," she remarked. "Are there any side effects you've noticed?" _

_Gilbert nodded emphatically. "It's highly addictive," he admitted. "And it's also why the terrians can't feel him. It must alter brainwaves enough to block the dreaming." _

_The sludgy fluid clung determinedly to the sides of the cup, a miasma of earth tones with an oily blue-green film. Julia sloshed the thick liquid around the cup with renewed respect...... _

"Wait a minute! Back up!" Danziger interrupted Julia and Morgan's explanation. "What are you telling us?"

--end Part 8---


	9. Chapter 9

Part 9

"It was a bluff!" Morgan interjected. "It was all an elaborate bluff!"

"A bluff?" Devon asked skeptically. "So, none of what they said they did to Alonzo was true? But, Alonzo said..."

"He was telling the truth. It's just that it sounds bad without the right frame of reference. Rogers led us to think the worst, so we'd cooperate." Morgan looked at the sleeping pilot thoughtfully. "Not that what he went through was any picnic."

"It's really quite amazing they didn't kill him with their treatment," Julia agreed calmly. "I had no choice but to perform surgery before we could bring him home."

"I told you good medical treatment is hard to find on this planet," Rogers reminded her. "Gilbert is the closest we have to a doctor......"

_"He has a few hairline fractures we'll have to be careful with and there must have been quite a bit of swelling immediately after the accident, which would account for the temporary paralysis, but he doesn't need to be restrained. May I untie him? I'd like to be able to examine him more closely."_

_"Of course, Doctor."_

_While Morgan stood nearby, the two men helped the doctor remove the ropes, freeing the pilot from the surrounding frame. Once the ropes were laid loose at his sides, Julia gently lifted the poultice from his back, wincing inwardly when she saw the long, jagged tear her diaglove had warned her about. Several long serrations radiated out from the initial injury where the men had tried to cut the piton free. She examined the wound more closely, gratefully noting the healthy flesh surrounding its seared edges. With an unspoken request, the men helped the doctor turn her patient over, drawing the frame out from underneath him and laying him gently atop the pelts. Julia lightly stroked Alonzo's forehead as her fingers probed the abrasions his accident had caused. She scanned the remainder of him carefully as she reviewed the unexpected turn of events in her mind._

_Morgan stood at her elbow. Julia wasn't sure if he was there to support her or the other way around, but appreciated his presence. The men seemed very eager to help and Alonzo, despite the severity of his injuries and crude backwoods treatment, had obviously been well cared for and was remarkably stable. Her examination complete, Julia curiously spared a glance around the cavern._

_The cave was massive, reminding Julia of the Elder's main room with a number of small, private alcoves. Bedding could be seen in some, while others were obviously used for storage. Julia reflected on what Gilbert had told her about the Z.E.D. and realized this cave most likely once housed many more men before the group was attacked. She caught herself nervously wondering how many men would be returning home by nightfall and what their histories would be. A shiver coursed through her, unbidden._

_"Doctor, are you cold? I can stoke the fire a bit if you'd like."_

_She shook her head at Gilbert. "No, I'm fine. How long do you expect before Alonzo wakes up? I really need to get the surgery taken care of and don't want to sedate him with that in his system."_

_"We gave it to him shortly before you arrived," Rogers reported. "He should be out for a few more hours."_

_"So, if I started now, he should remain sedated?"_

_"Absolutely."_

_"Gilbert, would you be able to assist me? Morgan doesn't handle blood well." Julia spared the liaison a slight smile as the guard nodded his willingness._

_Morgan shrugged his apologies to the young doctor, shifting his stool up by Alonzo's head to give them more room to work but wanting to stay as close as possible._

_Turning Alonzo over, Julia delicately repaired what she could of the damage the injury and subsequent treatment had caused, the piton and cauterizing rod both having blazed a harrowing path through his back and up into his abdomen. Satisfied with her work for the time being, the doctor inserted a drain, then debrided and closed the wound itself around it, grateful for the relatively minor nature of what should have been far more serious injuries by now. After bandaging the unconscious pilot, they settled him onto his back._

_Julia accepted the proffered stool and perched next to Alonzo. Morgan supportively scooted up next to her. While the penal colonists wandered away to tend to their daily tasks, the two Edenites sat silent sentinel over the pilot._

_Alonzo continued to sleep deeply, the soft susurrations of his breath the only sound in the cavern, save the occasional rattle as Gilbert prepared a meal near the cook fire. Finally, with a catch of his breath and a ragged sigh, the pilot's eyelids began to flutter open......_

Remembering, Julia and Morgan fell silent, both lost in their thoughts. Morgan looked to the doctor across the hushed med-tent, waiting for her to take the lead. He had seen Julia at the worst of times and at the best of times and thought he had a handle on this complicated woman. Nothing could have prepared him for her reaction to the pilot's awakening.

Morgan was many things, but, foremost, he was a man who loved his wife with all his heart and soul. To him, some things were sacred and this moment he'd held a private audience to had been one. He met Bess' gaze in acknowledgment as she slipped her arm around him to rest her head on his shoulder. Meeting Devon then Danziger's questioning eyes in turn, he tightened the embrace and bowed his head to study the imprint his boots made on the dirt floor.

Julia's eyes misted as she regarded the pilot......

_Alonzo blinked several times before focusing on her face. With another catch in his breath, he managed a broad smile for her. "Hey, Doc. Come to take me home?" He shifted slightly with a grimace. "I was wondering if you forgot about me." He grinned at her again, the grin fading to concern as her gaze never wavered. "Hey, hey... It's ok." He weakly raised his hand to catch the tears sliding down her face with his thumb._

_Julia captured his hand in hers, drawing it to her breast as the tears threatened to overwhelm her. She laid her head on his chest then, listening to his heart beat as she clung to him, the burning tears pooling under her cheek on his chest. Alonzo rested his free hand on Julia's head, gently stroking her hair as he softly murmured to her._

_Morgan diverted his gaze from the reunion, knowing it wasn't his to share. A hand on his shoulder drew his attention to Rogers. The man silently beckoned him towards the fire, offering him a simple meal of stew. Morgan glanced back once more to assure himself before accepting the offer._

_Finished with his meal, William approached the couple, crouching low across from Julia to get the pilot's attention. "Hi, Alonzo! Hey, you're right. Julia is very pretty!"_

_Raising herself enough to meet his eyes, Julia's eyebrows arched as Alonzo grinned at the giant and then to her. The barest ghost of a smile flickered across her lips as she looked fondly at her pilot. She stubbornly wiped her eyes as the others approached._

_Gilbert offered a cup of his malodorous narcotic. "He should have at least some now," he cautioned._

_Mindful of what Gilbert had told her about the substance, Julia scanned Alonzo, noting his rising stress levels. As much as he was trying to put up a good front for her, the man was in obvious pain. She reluctantly agreed with a nod. Julia continued scanning as Gilbert helped Alonzo drink down the medication. She was surprised to see the pilot eagerly take the powerful drug then settle into the bed expectantly. Their eyes never left each other, as the diaglove tracked the substance's speedy path into his digestive tract then throughout his body, until he relaxed once more into a deep slumber._

_"Julia, if it's ok, we should get going," Morgan urged as Julia stood captivated by the sleeping pilot._

_Meeting his worried gaze, Julia shook her head diffidently. "If it isn't already, it should be dark soon." She looked at Gilbert. "Is there a shorter way the DuneRail can handle? I don't want to be caught out camping all night with him. He's still much too weak."_

_"There is a shorter way, but you still wouldn't make it before dark. You're welcome to stay until he's strong enough to return to your camp," Gilbert offered._

_Torn, Julia pensively looked at the pilot._

_Seeing the doctor's hesitation, Gilbert smiled kindly at her. "Doctor... Julia, would you feel more comfortable if I told you more about us?"_

_Taken aback by the offer, she nodded silently._

_"Rogers will be the first to tell you he earned his passage." Rogers shrugged grudging agreement as Gilbert continued, "What he won't tell you but I will is that he is the main reason we have survived on this planet. Wilson is out foraging right now. I expect him back soon. His charge was rape, but his crime was loving a Councilor's daughter. He's a good man," the former guard stressed emphatically for the doctor's benefit. "And, William? I don't know what his story is. We found him as a young boy, babbling in the woods."_

_"I don't babble," William protested, earning him a fond look from the men._

_"As far as we knew, there were no other encampments anywhere nearby, so we took him in."_

_Morgan and Julia exchanged looks of pure disbelief._

_"So, there are four of you?" Morgan repeated incredulously._

_"Yes, Mr. Martin."_

_"That's it?"_

_"Yes."_

_"But......"_

"But, why?" Devon asked Rogers.

"Why, what?"

"Why the bluff?"

"Ms. Adair, how long have you been on this planet?" the penal colonist asked with a rueful smile.

Devon shrugged diffidently. "Almost a year. Why?"

"By now, I imagine, you've seen enough of this planet to understand the dangers. How were we to know if you would treat Gilbert and return him safely? How were we to know what your intentions were at all? Alonzo didn't give us much to go on. That first night, we tried drugging him to get some information about your group but he had lost too much blood, so he was out cold most of the time and a lot of what he said didn't make much sense. We found out you had a doctor and enough about his broken leg, however, to put our plan into motion."

"Then how did you know so much about our group?" Danziger demanded.

"It wasn't hard to put two and two together," Rogers noted ironically. "And, you filled in the blanks nicely for me."

Danziger looked at Julia pensively. "They saved his life?"

The doctor nodded at him, causing him to shake his head in disbelief.

"You're sure...."

"Absolutely. I've scanned him thoroughly and Alonzo has told me what little he remembers as well. From the condition I found him in, it's unlikely he would have survived the night under the ATV. He's still very weak from the blood loss. Thanks to their care, the paralysis was not permanent and the poultices they used kept infection from setting in. By the time we reached him, the swelling had gone down to the point that feeling had returned to his lower body and his motor reflexes have mostly recovered by now. Now that we're back here and he's had some rest from the trip, I need to operate again today. When we went to get him, I didn't have everything I needed. I'll be monitoring his recovery closely, but expect him to be fully ambulatory within a few weeks."

Shaking his head in disbelief, Danziger decisively stepped forward, offering his hand to the penal colonist. "I can't believe I'm saying this but, I'd like to thank you." He offered the barest of smiles. "Just remind me to never play poker with you."

Rogers accepted the handshake with a tight smile. "I, too, owe you thanks. Especially you, Doctor. I'm sorry we put you through what we did, but it's how we've had to survive. It's not an excuse, we simply have our rules and have to stick to them. We've been on this planet for quite a while. We were doing fine until the Z.E.D. found us. Now, our family is down to four from the original sixteen, so we have to be extra cautious. Especially around newcomers with weapons," he added with a knowing smile.

A tri-toned alert interrupted the discussion. Julia wove through the subdued crowd to measure Alonzo's next dose into a cup and went to wake the slumbering pilot.

"Alonzo, it's time."

He sleepily opened his eyes, vaguely taking in the mob surrounding him. "What the..? Hey, Rogers, you're still here?"

"We're just leaving, Pilot. William, say goodbye. We have to head out."

"Bye, Alonzo. Bye, Morgan. Bye, Pretty Julia."

As Julia helped, Alonzo drank the medicine and relaxed as the alluring nothingness eased him into blissful sleep.

ooooooooooooooo

Together, Baines and Bess emerged from the med-tent to wash up at the nearby station before going their separate ways. At the pair's appearance, the remainder of the group paused in what they were doing, looking for any hint of what was happening. Bess gave Morgan a slight nod and smile as he rose to meet her from where he had stationed himself next to the tent, encircled her with one arm and escorted her away.

Baines wandered over to the geodesic arch where the majority of the rest of their group idled away their time, preparing the evening meal in close proximity to the med-tent. At their questioning looks, he shrugged with a wry smile and a dip of his head. "It went good. Julia said she's happy with how it went anyways. She's probably gonna to hit a few of you up for some blood."

"Did you talk about what happened?" Denner asked curiously.

"Not really. I brought it up but she said there wasn't much more to tell. We were pretty busy, so it wasn't like I had much of a chance to ask."

Walman shook his head dubiously. "That's pretty much what Morgan said. It doesn't seem right to me. There's got to be more to it."

"How do we know they're not protecting him?" Magus asked pointedly.

"Protecting him from what?" Devon skirted the table to join the conversation, watching the crew shift uncomfortably. "I'm as surprised as any of you by this turn of events, but I don't see we have any choice but to believe her. You didn't see anything to contradict their story, did you, Baines?"

"Devon, where he's got any color at all, he's a giant bruise. If there was anything to see, I couldn't tell you."

Catching snippets of the conversation from where he was working on the DuneRail, Danziger signaled his daughter to keep working as he impatiently strode to the arch. "Come on, people, enough already." He glanced quickly around the circle, meeting each pair of eyes as he went, to make his intent clear. "We have plenty to do without prying into other people's business. What difference does it make? He's home. That should be enough for any of us."

"Danziger's right," Devon admitted with a sideways glance at the mechanic, hoping to sound convincing enough to quell some of the speculation. She knew it was only natural, especially since it had been an ongoing topic since the pilot's disappearance apparently at Rogers' group's hands. The problem was, even she had doubts which she couldn't dispel despite the unexpected revelation that morning. "Danziger, how are the vehicles?" she asked to change the subject.

The big mechanic shrugged. "Good to go. The ATV is finally dried out enough for the relays to work. It's charging now. We're tuning up the Rail now but it should be good to go as soon as we're done. I just have to check with Julia to see what we're looking at for a timeline and what she wants to do with 'Lonz." He thrust his chin towards the med-tent. "Does she still want to leave tomorrow?"

"Yeah, she said he should be ok to travel," Baines offered. "She said they drove pretty far ahead when they went to get him and the path as far as they could see looked smooth, so it was worth a try since we lost so much time sitting here."

Danziger took in the group around him. "If that's the case, why doesn't everyone start packing non-essentials now," he strongly suggested. "I'll check in with Julia a little later."

Baines nodded. "You may want to wait a while. She and Yale are working on something right now. They're trying to do something with that rancid drug they brought back. Turns my stomach."

The mechanic frowned. "I'll check with her after dinner. That should give her some time."

ooooooooooooooo  
--end Part 9--


	10. Chapter 10

Part 10

ooooooooooooooo

Alonzo awoke to the most beautiful sight in the world. Julia slept peacefully beside him, her head resting lightly on his chest, one hand clutching the neck of his shirt and obscuring her face slightly as she leaned onto him from where she fell asleep while watching over him. He did his best to lie totally still, so he wouldn't wake the doctor. Not that he could move much anyways.

Ever since he was free from his restraints, Alonzo found every movement took an unbelievable effort and exacted a high toll. Mindful of his sleeping lover, he drowsily tried to assess his injuries to get a handle on his condition. His body ached, the thrum of pain threatening to escalate with the merest of movements. The new incision on his abdomen shadowed the original injury on his back, making the pilot feel as if he had been driven through with a hot poker. Not that he almost hadn't, he knew. As much as he tried to ride it through, his head buzzed painfully with a need only the medicine seemed to calm; the throbbing behind his eyes was getting unbearable as it snaked its way down his neck, wringing his muscles tighter with each passing moment. But, as uncomfortable as all that was, his back superseded everything else, with spikes of pain radiating through his torso and flaring down his legs with the slightest impulse.

Alonzo traveled what little of the med-tent he could see without moving. It was nearly morning. He could see the hints of dusky red on the canvas. Above him, partially in the shadows, another bottle of blood hung from a pole, making him wonder with some bemusement who's blood was now being introduced into his veins and how many of their companions Julia had drained to get him better.

The day before was sketchy to the pilot as was the week before that. Snippets of memory surrounded by the soft padding of Gilbert's syrupy concoction. Alonzo vaguely remembered some excitement over Rogers' visit and the additional surgery later that day but that was about it. He wouldn't worry about it, it wasn't his way. Get better, move on, celebrate life. The pilot sighed softly, he was more than ready for his next dose.

Julia stirred slightly, shifting in her sleep. Alonzo caught himself and tried to keep his breathing steady. She looked endearingly rumpled and he loved her for it. As much as his body craved the medication, for the time being, he was content to stay awake to watch her fondly as she slept. Alonzo carefully wiggled his toes, gratefully feeling the soft sheet glide across them. Julia had told him, if his paralysis had been permanent, he would have had to wait for the Colony Ship and the medical equipment it offered for any chance of walking again.

A twinge in his lower back caught Alonzo off guard. He grunted softly as his body arched away from the impulse. A tremor coursed through his body as the pain broke free. He tried to rein it in, but it broke past him again. At a soft rustle, Alonzo looked back to Julia to see her blinking herself awake in surprise at having been caught asleep only to peer intently at him. Sitting up with a sigh, she drew her hair behind her ears to gather herself as he lay panting against the pain.

Alonzo noticed she still wore her diaglove. Relaxing a little as the last wave eased a bit, he look directly at the medical device, raised his eyebrows at her and smiled shakily. "Sorry."

Julia matched his smile with one of her own, part exasperation, part love and part promise as she started scanning him. "I can give you a little of Gilbert's narcotic now," she began. "I'm holding off on a full dose because I want to give you more when we load you on the TransRover."

He mutely nodded his acquiescence, grateful for anything at this point. Julia retrieved a hypospray from her bench. Sorting through her vials, she found what she wanted, scrutinized it briefly and snapped it into place. Alonzo eyed the vial with the turquoise liquid questioningly.

"Yale and I analyzed the compound thoroughly yesterday. At first I had my doubts, but it's really a remarkable pharmaceutical. We were able to purify it into an injectable. It's much more concentrated this way but I should be able to meter it out more accurately, which may minimize some of the side effects. Since you need to be on it for the time being and the painblocks appear to interact negatively with this medication, I'll use this instead of the typical painblocks. Once we get you on a stable schedule with it, you hopefully won't have breakthroughs of pain." She leaned close as she injected the medication into the vein in his neck.

Alonzo heard the soft hiss in his ear, felt the tingle, first gentle then more insistent. His hand strayed toward his neck. Julia's hand followed his, the diaglove humming. The tingle grew to a burning sensation then, quick as it rose, the heat died, leaving a chill on his neck that drew an involuntary shudder from the pilot.

"Did that hurt?"

"Real warm... coold..." Alonzo's eyelids drooped. His breathing slowed and steadied with the relief the medicine brought with it. His hand haltingly captured her diagloved one where it hovered next to his, while their gazes met. "Thanks."

Ignoring the diaglove's frustrated chirrups, Julia allowed Alonzo to hold her hand for a moment before extricating herself. "I need to see how it interacts in this form," she apologized as she laid his arm by his side and continued the examination. Noticing the more targeted dose didn't immediately sedate him, she added with a gentle caress on his chest, "Try to rest, it's going to be a long day."

The pilot sleepily nodded his understanding. Drowsing, he watched her monitor the medicine's path through his body as he felt the familiar buzz soothe his nerve endings. Her examination complete and confident the pilot was content for the time being, Julia busied herself preparing her equipment for travel.

Not having been awake for such a long time since the accident, Alonzo lay motionless while his mind wandered. Now, without the distractions of either Julia or the pain, he increasingly became aware of an unnerving disquiet which lay just below the surface. The pilot wondered about the odd sense of something missing he couldn't seem to shake. Something not quite right which seemed to eat at him from somewhere deep inside. Alonzo sighed softly, bringing the doctor back in a rush.

"Alonzo?" Considering him closely, she frowned her concern.

"I'm ok," he lied badly.

She harrumphed in reply. "What's wrong?"

"It's just... I don't know how to explain it..." He sought the words, a way to explain the intangible feelings. Frustrated at his confusion, he looked to her for help. "I feel empty."

"Empty?"

"Yeah. I guess..." He sighed, "I don't know..."

"Julia?" Devon's voice cut into the tent.

"Just a minute, Devon," Julia replied, exasperated by the distraction as the pilot struggled with his thoughts. She laid a hand on his arm. "Relax. It's normal to experience some confusion due to the anemia. With everything you've been through, it's going to take a while to feel like yourself again. Maybe you're trying too hard."

He nodded with a sigh and sank deeper into the bed. "What does Devon want?" he reminded her.

"Devon, come on in."

Devon entered the tent, seeking. Spotting Julia sitting next to Alonzo, she crossed the tent. "How's Alonz-- You're awake!" she observed with a smile when the pilot tipped his head to see her.

He tiredly smiled back, his lids progressively getting heavier. Alonzo's eyes lazily tracked Devon as she approached.

Julia gently stroked his wrist, her fingertips and thumb tracing opposing ovals. She could see the effect the simple sensation was having on the pilot as he slowly faded towards sleep. He fought the seductive pull at first, stubbornly blinking his eyes open to meet her gaze. She bent low to whisper in his ear, "I'm right here. Sleep now. We'll talk later."

Finally yielding, he allowed his eyes to drift shut. Julia watched his chest slowly rise and fall in the rhythm of sleep. The doctor silently considered Devon as she joined them.

Devon found a seat and perched across from the doctor, her hands on her knees. "I hope I didn't interrupt anything. I didn't wake him, did I? I thought I heard voices, so I hoped you were up. How's he doing?"

"He's been awake for a little while. He's stable. Once this transfusion is done, I'll need to monitor him closely for a couple hours then we should be ready to travel."

Devon looked dubiously at the bottle of blood then down to the sleeping pilot. She had to admit, he looked better than the day before, the transfusions had given him a little much needed color, but he still appeared much too frail, his pallid features and soft curls vaguely reminding her of Uly before he was healed. "Are you sure he's ready? We can wait..."

Julia wished she was. She had spoken with Danziger about it the night before, while she was collecting his blood after his watch shift. What she could actively do for Alonzo had been done. Now, he needed time and rest. She had considered trying to synthesize a marrow stimulant to help his body produce more blood, but was hesitant to due to the hairline fractures. With the fractures' locations in his back and sacrum, she also could not give him a bone healer treatment for fear of overgrowth in such sensitive areas. Julia shrugged helplessly. "I don't really know. He's stable and the route ahead of us looked good, so I hope so. Danziger is having Cameron drive the TransRover. He's usually pretty good about keeping it smooth. We'll stop if Alonzo gets stressed at all. Between the anemia and medication, I'm hoping he'll sleep."

Devon considered the young doctor and then the sleeping pilot. "If there's anything I can do to help..," she offered.

"Julia?" Morgan poked his head into the tent. "Bess is busy making breakfast, so I thought I'd see if you needed any help."

Julia smiled at the offers as she retrieved a roll of bandages. "Thanks. Morgan, once I'm done with this, if Devon doesn't mind watching Alonzo, I could use some help with my monitors."

Devon nodded readily while Morgan wandered into the tent, waiting to find out what she needed done.

Capturing Alonzo's left hand, Julia slowly drew it to her, pausing for a moment at the unconscious resistance. As the pilot relaxed, the doctor lightly wrapped his burn to protect the open wound from the dust the large mining vehicle was known to kick up.

Devon's eyes widened at the bruised shadow of a large handprint visible on his upper arm. She looked to Morgan who tracked the source of her concern only to whiten slightly and look away with an odd look on his face she couldn't fathom.

Quickly checking the IV line, Julia pushed herself up. She missed the exchange of glances. Turning to Devon, she asked, "Are you free for a while?"

"Of course! Should I be looking for anything?"

"Fever, chills, hives, anything out of the ordinary," Julia listed. "He's had quite a few units within the past few days and I'm concerned about an adverse reaction. This will be the last transfusion he'll receive."

Taking the doctor's warnings to heart, Devon scooted closer to Alonzo, watching him closely. The pilot continued to sleep placidly as Morgan and Julia busied themselves packing up the tent around them.

True tentatively entered the tent, two plates in her hands. Reaching into her pocket for a utensil, she quickly handed a plate to Julia and then turned to Morgan to explain quietly, "Bess wanted to know if you'd like to have breakfast with her or in here."

The liaison glanced over to Julia and around the nearly packed tent, then told the girl, "Let her know I'll be out in a little while?"

True nodded as she brought Devon her meal. She approached the cot anxiously, having been kept away from anything to do with Alonzo, the strange men they had encountered, and the whispered discussions which stopped whenever she or Uly drew near. Bess had noticed the young girl's furtive glances at the med-tent since the pilot's return and, knowing Alonzo had again stabilized after his most recent operation, had given the child this task to help ease her worries.

While Devon took her plate with a smile, True eyed Alonzo as she fished out another spoon. She followed the IV line up to the bottle of blood dangling above her head. "Is that my dad's blood?"

Devon looked over to Julia who replied, "No, he's already had your father's. That's Mazatl's."

True lightly rested her hands on Alonzo's arm, her eyes again wandering the pilot's pale features. "Is he gonna be ok?"

"Yes, True, Julia thinks he's going to be fine," Devon assured the girl, looking past her to Julia.

Seeing the child's distress, the doctor came over to True's side. Crouching down, she watched through the reflections of the eyes of a child as True regarded her friend silently. "He's very weak right now, but he should be better in no time," Julia confirmed. "When he wakes up, I'll tell him you were in to check on him, ok? For now, why don't you give Bess Morgan's message?"

True nodded obediently and, sparing Alonzo a quick relieved glance, trotted out of the med-tent, dodging past her father as he entered.

Danziger glanced past his elbow as his daughter trotted past, her eyes aglow, then to the adults in the med-tent. "She wasn't supposed to come in here without permission..."

"Bess sent her in," Devon confirmed to his relief. "She just wanted to see Alonzo for herself."

Danziger nodded. He had tried to quell her concerns, but knew she was still troubled by what little she knew about what had happened. True had seen too much in her young life and was exceptionally perceptive. With the adults as on edge as they had been and the undercurrent of fear which had coursed through the camp after Alonzo's disappearance, then Gilbert's visit in the pilot's stead, it was only understandable to the mechanic that his daughter would worry about their friend. As much as the mechanic knew Uly had also seen far too much for a child his age, despite Devon's protective nature, being in a Syndrome ward for any length of time would do that to a child, he was still a young boy, now caught up in the thrill of normalcy and seemingly content with whatever explanation his mother had used to reassure him.

"I just don't want her to get in the way." He surveyed the tent. "How are we coming, Julia? What's the timeframe?"

"We should be able to load almost everything as it's packed. Morgan's been helping me, so we're almost done with the larger equipment and crates. I want to give Alonzo two hours after this transfusion is complete, then he should be ready to go. Is the TransRover ready?"

"Yeah, I've got one of the sidebaskets pretty well padded and a sunshade over it, so he should stay as cool as possible. It looks like it's gonna be a scorcher today."

"Julia..."

Alerted by the tone of her voice, Julia rushed over to Devon's side. Alonzo shifted restlessly, moaning in his sleep. The doctor immediately began scanning her patient. Frowning, she turned off the transfusion and sorted through a nearby crate.

"Is he dreaming?"

"No... No, I don't think he can yet." Preoccupied, the doctor loaded the hypospray. "He's developing a fever. With all the blood he's been getting, I was worried about this but didn't want to give him anything unless it was absolutely necessary. He needs an antihistamine"

As Julia administered the medication, Alonzo awoke. He hazily looked up at the doctor, his eyes red-rimmed. "Hot."

"You have a fever. I just gave you something to help."

He squinted unevenly, closed his eyes and tried again. "Gotta check coordinates." Alonzo slid his elbows back for leverage and tried to get up. Immediately, his back arched in pain only for his abdomen to clench against it. He fell back into the bed with a choked sob as he single-mindedly attempted to rise again. "Something's wrong with the ship! Can't feel it!" he protested as Julia easily held him down with a palm on his chest.

"Alonzo, you're injured and feverish. You need to lie still," she reasoned with him. "Please, relax."

The medicine and fever spoke louder to the pilot. He tried to fight her restraint, his breath coming in gasps as he weakly strained against her. Finally yielding, his eyes widened blindly as he sank into the bedding. "Please, Wilson... No more..." Alonzo drifted back into unconsciousness.

Taken aback by the pilot's comments, Danziger demanded, "What was that all about?"

Julia sat back, monitoring the effect of the antihistamine in Alonzo's system. Once she was satisfied with it, she restarted the transfusion. "Confusion is pretty typical with severe anemia. Even though the times you've been here he's mostly been pretty lucid when he's awoken, you have to keep in mind he's also very heavily medicated," she cautioned. "As long as he stays stable, we should be ready to go in a few hours."

Devon and Danziger exchanged worried frowns as the doctor busied herself with her packing once more.

Alonzo remained quiet, sleeping through much of the morning and into the afternoon as the convoy slowly wound its way along the canyon once again. The pilot remained oblivious to the scrutiny he received from everyone, only waking long enough for a drink and, perhaps, a quick visit with Julia before fading asleep again. The day was brutally hot, even to people now accustomed to traveling in everything from snow swept mountains to blazing desert.

After calling for another much needed rest break, Danziger clambered out of the DuneRail. He thoughtfully watched Julia hop down off the TransRover to stretch her legs as Bess and Morgan came to stand near Alonzo. The mechanic stretched with a grimace, luffing his sweat-soaked shirt away from his skin as he walked over to the larger vehicle. "How's he holding up?" he asked Bess quietly.

"Julia feels he's handling it as well as can be expected."

"Good. Hopefully, we can get another couple hours in, then we should probably start looking for a good campsite."

Bess bobbed her head, her curls bouncing in agreement.

Behind her, Morgan was talking to the now awake pilot, "Hey, 'Lonz. How're you doing?"

"Stopped for the day?" the pilot asked huskily from where he lay curled on his side, one hand gripping a sidebar while the other cupped his abdomen.

"Ummm... ahh..."

"Yeah, man. We're setting up camp right now," Danziger responded unexpectedly over Morgan's shoulder, causing him to jump while earning a knowing look from Bess. The mechanic set the nearby crew into action with a dip of his head. "You just relax and we'll have you in bed in no time."

The pilot sighed in relief. He held himself very still as he searched the area. "Where's Julia?"

"She's stretching her legs. She'll be right back," Bess assured him with a smile. "Do you need anything?"

"Hurts..."

"OK, she should be back in just a minute or do you want me to call her on gear?"

Not answering, Alonzo distantly looked through the gathering group as if they weren't there. Bess ducked her head to meet his eyes to no acknowledgment. Morgan's hand on her arm drew her attention.

Her husband shook his head and pulled her to him to whisper, "Let Julia handle it."

"What's going on?" Julia wove through the crowd to the pilot's side. "Alonzo?"

The pilot snapped back to reality at the sound of her voice. "Julia?"

"I'm right here. How are you feeling?"

"Hurts bad."

"OK. It's almost time. Let me get it."

Walman readily boosted the petite doctor up onto the vehicle where she loaded her hypospray and applied it to Alonzo's neck. The pilot closed his eyes tight as the medicine hit his bloodstream. He shuddered slightly then visibly sank asleep.

As everyone looked on, Julia scanned Alonzo thoroughly. Looking up, she met Devon's worried frown. "He's fine," she assured them. "Why are we unpacking?"

"Time to stop." Danziger answered firmly with a look which brooked no further argument.

ooooooooooooooo  
--end Part 10--


	11. Chapter 11

Part 11

ooooooooooooooo

Devon glanced around the camp. It was still mid-afternoon and Alonzo had been safely installed in the med-tent. Now, with such a long stop so recent, the remainder of Eden Advance was busy looking for something to do. Walman and Baines had escaped camp to scout ahead, a smooth trail being even more important than ever. Devon glanced over her shoulder to the med-tent and sighed. Despite Julia's reassurances, Alonzo worried her considerably.

Devon spotted Danziger rooting around in the ATV's electronics. The mechanic had been checking and tweaking the vehicle all day. In a corner of her vision, Morgan wandered by, mindfully avoiding the mechanic before ducking into the med-tent. Devon considered following him in, then opted against it. With the mechanic in her sights, she walked over to the ATV.

"How's the patient?"

"Waterlogged," he complained. "There's pond scum all over the wires. We'll be lucky they don't all rust out on us. With this humidity, they're not gonna dry any time soon. If that happens, it's dead in the water."

"Interesting choice of phrase..."

Danziger grimaced. "Yeah. Well, unfortunately, it's true."

Devon looked curiously at the small vehicle. "I thought it had already dried."

Pressing his lips together, the mechanic shrugged. "I thought so too, but the slime is still everywhere and the wires have been wet every time I've checked. There're still pockets of water in the chassis. Maybe that's contributing to it."

"Is there anything we can do to accelerate the drying? I know it's terribly hot already but have you thought about using a heater to create some dry heat?"

Cameron came up from behind Devon with Mazatl on the other end of a generator. Magus took up the rear, wheeling a small heater appropriated from the biodome many months ago.

The mechanic flashed an amused grin as Devon suddenly noticed the array of equipment arriving around her. "You mean, like this?"

Devon smiled back. "Anything I can do?"

"Yeah, we're gonna set up a tent around the ATV and heater if you'd like to help. I'm just trying to wipe everything down, get the slime off, before we start. By the way, have you seen Martin? I think he's been avoiding me."

Devon's eyebrows arched in amusement. "I saw him go into the med-tent a few minutes ago."

Danziger glanced towards the med-tent with a sigh of frustration. He stood and wiped his hands as he stepped away from the vehicle and herded Devon a short distance away. With an eye on the tent, he nodded towards it. "What do you think?"

Devon followed his nod. She could see Morgan busily rolling the bottom edges up around the orange tent to allow more airflow into it in the sweltering heat. With only their legs visible, Julia and Yale could be seen moving around inside. "I don't know, John. You're the one who decided to stop."

"I couldn't make 'Lonz go any further. Not like that."

Her own doubts roiling, Devon looked away to the med-tent before devoting her undivided attention to the mechanic once more. "We'll speak with Yale tonight. He's probably more aware than any of us of what's going on." She sought Danziger's approval, earning the barest nod before the mechanic turned back to his work.

ooooooooooooooo

Yale collected his meal and joined the group by the fire. Despite the heat of the day, somehow the night always brought with it a subtle chill. The tutor took up his usual position next to Devon where she sat huddled on a large boulder.

"How's Alonzo?"

Yale pursed his lips. "He's resting. Julia is pleased with how he did today."

"Pleased?" Danziger shook his head from across the fire. "'Lonz didn't look too pleased."

"It will be at least a few more days before she is able to get him regulated on his medication. Until then, he will be a bit more fragile," the tutor cautioned. "Julia is very mindful of this and is doing what she can to minimize any problems."

"Maybe so, but I don't see why we can't just sit tight while that happens," the mechanic pointed out stubbornly, earning concerned agreement from around the small circle.

"While I share your concern, John, you have to remember we still have to make up for lost time getting to New Pacifica," Devon rebutted. "If Julia thinks Alonzo can travel, then I think we should keep going."

"New Pacifica will just have to wait. We have to take care of our own first."

"Those two hundred forty-eight families are our responsibility, also. We need to be there--"

Danziger cut her off impatiently, "Your responsibility, Devon! As far as I'm concerned, we'll get there when we get there. It isn't worth--"

"John, Devon, please!" With all eyes looking to him for answers, Yale bowed his head and took a deep breath. He raised his head slowly, taking in the worried countenances as he did so. "Julia chose to continue our journey because the timeframe is nebulous. All we can provide Alonzo at this point is rest and time. If he travels well, we will not lose any additional time getting to New Pacifica. If he does not," the tutor spread his hands apart, palms upward. "we shall stop," he punctuated with his chin. "You must trust her to make decisions in Alonzo's best interest. All this second-guessing is simply going to make her job more difficult."

The tutor sternly peered around the campfire to see if his point had been made. Making note of the abashed faces, he turned his attention to his meal.

ooooooooooooooo

Julia awoke early yet refreshed. Somehow, she had managed to sleep through two shifts, she realized when she saw Gayle Denner sitting next to Alonzo in the diffused light of daybreak, a small scanner holding her attention until Julia rose with a slight rustle.

The woman set her tools down as Julia approached with her diaglove humming. "He's been quiet all night," she reported in a hushed voice. "I gave him the injection when the timer went off."

Julia smiled her thanks as she scanned. The pilot's vitals had improved overnight. Julia gratefully noted the return of a little color as well. His anemia was beginning to resolve, though it would take a while for his blood volume to return to normal. Taking her leave, Julia escaped outside to stretch her legs and clear her thoughts. If he followed his typical pattern, Alonzo would sleep a couple more hours.

The doctor glanced around camp, making note of the early risers all ready busy with whatever projects they'd found for themselves. Bess was all ready at the fire, adding more wood to prepare breakfast, her pots by her side.

Julia padded over to visit with her. "Good morning, Bess."

"My, you look like you've had some rest!" Bess beamed.

"I have," the doctor admitted. "I wanted to thank you for that broth you made yesterday. Alonzo was able eat it and hold it all down."

"Oh, good! I added another herb and some of that tuber Gilbert told us about to the broth. When you think he's ready, the strainings should make a good mash. I saved some broth for this morning. Just let me know when you need me to warm it up." She wrested her largest pot onto the flat stone in the center of the fire before adding more wood around it. Satisfied with the fire for the time being as it slowly grew, she poured water into the pot then turned to sort through the ingredients she had selected while the doctor watched.

"It'll be a couple of hours, I think. It will be good for him. He needs as much nutrition as we can get into him."

Julia curiously watched the woman prepare the meal. The young doctor could prepare the basics but considered what Bess did to be almost a form of alchemy. It fascinated her how Bess could put the same ingredients into a pot and have it come out far better than anything anyone else could make. A couple other members of the crew were competent cooks, but Bess Martin was considered in a class of her own.

Julia noticed a number of plants Gilbert had shown them arrayed near the cookpot, all ready to be added as needed. The former guard had explained every plant they brought him during his stay in detail, making them wonder how many edible plants they had driven past over their year on the planet while looking for food.

When Julia had asked him how he had gained such deep knowledge of them, he had shrugged while commenting, "I guess the terrians showed me."

At the time, this had dredged up emotions she was struggling to contain; Alonzo often said the same thing when he divulged information he couldn't explain the source of as if it was simply answer enough. As much as Julia became accustomed to hearing it, this answer always left her vaguely dissatisfied, which she knew amused the pilot. Often, while they were going over specimens collected on a scout, to help him bring the information to the surface, he would make a game of it, fondly teasing her with snippets of information and making her play a sort of twenty questions with him, his dark eyes dancing as she played her part in the charade.

Afterwards, while she was examining them with her equipment, he'd petulantly complain that he had all ready told her what she needed to know, saving them time for other pursuits. She'd laugh, point out that humans were not terrians, swat at his wandering hands and promise to make it up to him once she was done.

"How is Alonzo this morning?"

Her reverie broken, the doctor responded distractedly, "He's rebounded from yesterday pretty well. Better than I expected, to be honest. It's too soon to make any inferences but his vitals have improved."

Ducking her head, Bess smiled to herself then looked up to Julia to share her relief. "Well then, that's good news."

"Yes, I suppose it is." Too aware of the long road ahead, Julia remained guarded. "I'd better get back. I told Gayle I wouldn't be long."

Leaving a cheerful Bess Martin behind, Julia headed back toward the med-tent. Passing the ATV with the lower half of John Danziger muttering in its bowels, she looked curiously over her shoulder.

Seeing her boots go by, he raised his head with a bang and an oath, stopping her in her tracks. "Damn!"

"John, are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," he growled, rubbing his head. "How's Alonzo?"

"Better. He slept well all night. We should be all set to go once the med-tent is packed."

"No rush, Doc. This vehicle may be keeping us put."

"It was fine yesterday." she remembered with a glance at the bird's nest of electronics in the open hatch.

"No, it was operational yesterday and marginally at that," the mechanic corrected with a scowl at the offending vehicle.

Julia wasn't up for arguing. She understood John was worried about Alonzo. If he was stalling, she could do nothing about it. Either way, she had her work for the day set out for her. She excused herself and returned to the med-tent where she relieved Denner and, with a brief scan, settled down next to the pilot.

Alonzo hadn't moved since she'd left him, flat on his back, elbows out, with his hands pressed to the cot at his sides -- 'sleepjumpers' position', he had joked with her once when she had mentioned the seemingly uncomfortable position only made more surreal by his tendency to barely move in his sleep due to the absence of dreams. Even now, while he had so much trouble finding a comfortable position and she kept turning him to avoid pressure sores, he still tended toward this position as much as he was able, despite the painful back injuries. Julia idly wondered how many years he had remained in this position as time passed him by.

Assured he didn't need her for the time being, Julia rose to pack some of her non-essential equipment for when Danziger decided the ATV was ready. She sorted through her equipment, piling as much as she could by the tent door. Alonzo slept placidly, undisturbed by the sounds of camp awakening outside or, even, Morgan's brief visit to deliver Julia's breakfast and a hot bowl of broth.

Eventually, movement at the corner of her eye drew her to him. A quick glance at the chronometer made her heart sink. Forty-five minutes to go. Alonzo was coming up but not out. His hands gripped the cot edges as his breathing harshened with the increasing recognition of pain and little else.

"Julia?"

"I'm right here."

"Something's wrong..." He tried to raise his head but fell back limply. "The ship. Something's wrong. Can't feel her."

Julia quickly crossed to her workbench to prepare the injection, once again cursing the fact that giving him anything other than these regular metered doses wasn't an option with her limited resources.

"Can't feel the ship..," Alonzo slurred inconsolably behind her. "Can't feel th..." He flinched suddenly with a gasp. "Mother?"

Snapping the vial onto the hypospray, Julia sharply glanced around at him, accustomed as she was by now to his occasional ramblings, even she was caught a little off-guard. The pilot remained unaware of the doctor's attention.

"Alonzo? What's wrong?" Julia carefully broached as she sat next to him. She rested a hand on his arm as he sorted through his realities.

The doctor noted how large the pilot's pupils were with a frown. His normally dark eyes were almost black; the pupils were so large from the shift in medication. She had been gradually reducing the drug, trying to find the balance between pain relief and safety, but the pilot continued to demand more, his initial dosages while at Rogers' camp being inconsistent and unregulated, making her chore even harder. Alonzo's breakthroughs of pain, nausea and lucidity were unpredictable, discouraging.

As much as the medication held significant promise, Julia had only resigned herself to using the drug when total, immediate withdrawal proved to be too dangerous to consider. It seemed that even a minute alteration of dosage caused a myriad of problems until Alonzo's body managed to adjust to the new levels. She knew she couldn't rush it but the sky-high dosages had scared her almost as much as his injuries themselves. With the group's whispered doubts echoing in her mind and her own often joining them when Alonzo hit another setback, it took all her strength to stay the course and go along with her plan, certain that biding her time a few days more would make all the difference.

Alonzo turned towards her, his face openly vulnerable. "Not there. Can't feel it."

"Can't feel what? Alonzo, we're not on the ship. We crashed. Remember?"

He blinked, his eyes clearing. "Yeah, I know."

"Why were you calling for your mother?"

"I did?" Confusion creased his features.

Seeing his distress, Julia came closer, lightly perching on the edge of the cot to reassure him. "Alonzo, it's all right," she soothed.

Disturbed by the jumbled thoughts he was powerless to sort out, Alonzo looked away shyly, unable to meet her gaze.

With a gentle brush of his battered forehead, Julia took his chin and bent a little lower to meet his eyes squarely. "Look at me. Please? I need to see you."

The pilot returned the attention then, finding solace in the blue depths. Transfixed, he opened his mouth to speak, but she placed a silencing finger to his lips until he yielded to her.

"Trust me. Just relax," she encouraged as she brushed his collarbone lightly with her fingertips.

Alonzo watched Julia unwaveringly as he allowed himself to settle back. She traced his clavicle and sternum repeatedly in a slow, sinuous pattern. Even as she felt him relax under her ministrations, she could see he was totally in the present with her once more, the sparkle in his eyes muted but shining through. Never breaking eye contact, Julia stopped before he got too drowsy. Unmoving, the pilot continued to watch her calmly.

"Better?"

"Yeah, thanks."

"Do you think you can eat something?" she asked hopefully.

Frowning to himself, he offered, "I can try."

Julia reached beyond him to the still warm bowl, scooting beside his head to help him drink it down. Taking frequent rests, Alonzo sipped delicately, allowing his head to fall back into Julia's arm to swallow the broth down before gamely trying again. The simple action exhausted him but the doctor kept urging him to have a little bit more. Finally, Alonzo turned his head to the side and she relented, settling on the edge of the cot again to watch him.

Leaning forward to set the bowl aside, she glanced down for a second when something distracted her.

Julia sat back slowly. "Alonzo?"

"Mm-hmm?"

"Remember when you gave me my necklace?" She watched him guardedly; his current, ongoing obsession with his missing ship had unnerved her.

Seeing the doubt flicker across her face, he earnestly caught her hands where they lingered on his chest. "I meant it, Julia. Every word," he avowed soberly, sealing it with a gentle squeeze.

Her eyes shining, Julia slipped her hands free and raised them to her neck. She reached around to her nape, fumbling for a moment before lifting something free. As it caught the light, a small flash at the hollow of her throat attracted the pilot's attention. Confusion gave way to recognition once the shiny object came into focus.

"I will always be here for you. Always and forever," Julia vowed as she slid the silver chain to the pilot's treasured dogtag over his head to where it rightfully belonged around his neck.

Her hands cupping his head, she hesitantly bent low to meet his lips with her own. His hands found the small of her back and he tenderly coaxed her to him as they both eagerly deepened the kiss. Turning his eyes to follow the sound, Alonzo moaned when an alarm sounded softly behind them a few minutes later. Tracing his features, Julia smiled her apology, his face tiredly lighting up in reply. Reluctantly, she withdrew and turned to shut it off.

The doctor took the hypospray from where she had laid it and administered his next dose. "I love you."

"Love you more," he whispered with a sigh. He drifted off as something wet landed lightly on his cheek.

ooooooooooooooo  
--end Part 11—


	12. Chapter 12

Part 12

ooooooooooooooo

Danziger poked his head into the med-tent.

"Julia?"

He found the doctor busy logging records on her gear. She beckoned him in as she continued her work. The mechanic walked in uncertainly, skirting the pile of equipment by the door then casting a quick glance at the sleeping pilot before standing patiently near Julia's work bench.

Pausing the recording, she looked at him expectantly. "Everything ok? How's your head?"

"Yeah, everything's ok. My head's fine. I wanted to let you know the ATV's fixed. Well, for now anyway. I figured I'd see where you were first."

"I'm pretty much packed. Alonzo's due for his next dose shortly, so your timing is pretty good." She hopped off her stool, her eyebrows rising as she lightly asked, "Do you think it's worth trying? It's nearly midday."

Danziger dropped his chin to his chest and looked at the doctor from under his brows. "I wanted to tell you I'm sorry about yesterday. I didn't want you to think I was doubting you." As she moved to rebut him, he continued, "We made a good distance. There was no sense in pushing him for just a couple more klicks, if that."

"I appreciate your concern, John. For the record, I didn't take it personally. Despite what you saw, Alonzo handled it quite well. His vitals have actually improved a bit."

The mechanic rested his hands on his hips as he looked over to the pilot. "Yeah, that's good to know, but I still don't want you to feel like you need to push. Devon's just gotta get used to the idea that New Pacifica isn't our priority."

"It isn't our priority, but we still need to be mindful of it," Yale cautioned as he strode in. "I cannot begin to imagine what would happen if we were not there to meet them. Julia, I believe it's almost time?"

"Yes, it is. Thank you, Yale." She checked her chronometer. "Just a few more minutes. Danziger, please let me know when you're almost ready to go? I need to change Alonzo's dressing now."

"Ok, I'll go get everyone moving. I'll let you know as soon as possible."

Nodding acknowledgement, Julia loaded the hypospray and crossed over to Alonzo. With a soft hiss, she administered his medication then, remembering, she called out, "Danziger?"

He turned at the door, a question forming on his lips.

"Thank you."

Sliding his sunglasses into place, he granted the doctor a fleeting smile and a nod before purposefully striding away.

Julia bent to her task. With Alonzo safely asleep, she rolled him onto his stomach to tend to the drain in his back. With the removal of the piton and subsequent treatments at the hands of Rogers' men fresh in his mind, Alonzo hated this part of his treatment more than any other, so she tried to wait until he was well asleep with no chance of waking. With Yale's help, she removed the bandages and took her time to clean the area thoroughly, making note of the degree of discharge and logging it on gear.

"Will we be removing it soon?" the tutor asked.

"I think in a few more days. It's still a pretty active site."

"Julia?" Baines spoke through the tent. "Danziger sent us to get your gear. Is it ok to come in?"

"Just a minute!" She covered Alonzo's wound quickly with a sterile cloth. "Okay. We're all set."

Baines and Cameron ducked in to begin collecting Julia's equipment and ferry it out. On their second trip, the commtech noticed the bandaging material gathered next to the bed.

"Jeez, Julia. Are we interrupting something?"

"We just need to redress his back. We can wait until you're done, I don't want to risk getting anything in it."

"Ok, well, let me get some more help."

Julia and Yale waited as the rest of the crew collectively pitched in to quickly empty the tent.

"They mean well, Julia. They all wish to help but they do not know how."

"Right now, there's not much they can do, Yale."

ooooooooooooooo

The caravan slowly wound through the canyon, gradually making their way west. The stream followed them in their journey, growing into a river as more streams joined it. As the river grew in size, the vegetation increased as well with more trees and plants crowding its banks and spilling up the canyon walls, slowing the vehicles further until Eden Advance finally broke from the canyon, climbing up a gentle slope to the plains above.

Danziger climbed up onto the TransRover's crow's nest to scan the terrain. Checking through the jumpers, he moodily noticed the nearby hills obstructed his view in three directions with the river at their side for the fourth. The canyon walls had declined until it was relatively shallow in this area as the river broadened into a slow, muddy, meandering waterway where it appeared to gradually arc southwards towards the distant sea. As far as the mechanic could see, a forest paralleled the canyon, at times tumbling over the canyon walls and down, nearly into the water. What he could see of the hills ahead appeared to be heavily wooded as well. Devon had reviewed the maps with him the night before and they were nearing the point where the maps became vague, the terrain covered by greenery, the undulating topography incomplete.

The travelling had been slow but easy since leaving their recent camp. Aside from the daytime heat, they had not encountered any real problems. The mechanic looked over his shoulder to peer at the small shade hanging from the side of the large vehicle. From this vantage point, he couldn't see Alonzo or Julia. Exchanging glances with Cameron, who was walking nearby, he acknowledged the surreptitious thumbs up with a nod and clambered back into the driver's seat.

As they approached a small copse of trees, Danziger halted the vehicle and hopped out as Devon drove up in the DuneRail.

"What's up? Why are we stopping?"

"I wanted to see which was the best way to go before we end up backtracking all over the place, besides, the 'Rover needs to recharge. It looks like we'll be leaving the open pretty soon so, I think it might be a good idea to stop for some lunch now and send out a short scout. I'll see if Cameron and Mazatl mind taking the 'Rail out for an hour or two." Seeing Devon seemed satisfied with his plan, Danziger strode off to speak with the men.

Shading her eyes, Devon leaned back to count off the group, checking for any stragglers. Aside from short forays, they had kept the group relatively tight, not even tending to send out many scouts since Alonzo's disappearance and, even then, had sent them out in twos and threes in the larger DuneRail. Glancing in her direction, Devon met Julia's eyes from across the length of the vehicle before the doctor distractedly turned back to the pilot sleeping next to her.

Alonzo had stabilized considerably in the past few days. While he was still occasionally prone to drugged ramblings about his missing ship, Julia had managed to get him to the point where he appeared to be relatively comfortable, even starting to eat on a comparatively regular schedule much to everyone's relief. The doctor rarely left Alonzo's side, however, which, while not unexpected, still generated a great deal of concern for the remainder of the group.

After checking with Danziger, Bess sent Morgan to unpack a pot while she and Denner busied themselves assembling what they needed to prepare a hot lunch. With the numerous edible plants in the area and their newfound knowledge gained from Gilbert's stay, the group had enjoyed cooked meals for the past week and a half, even occasionally adding some fish or small game as the river below was a magnet for all species of wildlife. Everyone scattered to collect firewood, tend to the vehicles or to find a shady spot until lunch.

Julia hopped down to stretch her legs next to the TransRover, keeping one eye on Alonzo as she paced around, working out the kinks. She was hesitant to leave him for any length of time. As much as his physical condition continued to improve, Julia was concerned with how dependent he had become upon her over the past week as he appeared to be increasingly withdrawn otherwise. The doctor feared the trauma Alonzo had endured was beginning to catch up with him.

Vividly remembering his deep depression immediately after the crash when he first started to dream, she was unsure how to best deal with him and if she was up to the task. She had tried to draw him out in private, but at times it was all she could do to beg and bully him into eating, nevermind discuss what was on his mind. Once, when she had persisted in pressuring him, he had professed complete ignorance of the source of his disquiet, yet day by day, she could see him spiraling beyond even her reach. Any hope of Yale helping was dashed when the tutor's own few attempts at engagement were met with anguished silence and closing eyes.

Hoping to find an organic reason for his distress, the doctor had tested Alonzo thoroughly and then the medicine he was on once again. His brain scans were normal, the drugs did not affect anything known to cause depression to a discernable degree and the pilot had stabilized very well on a steady, regulated dose. She was baffled and at a loss searching for answers. All Julia knew was, as much as possible, she should not leave his side until his emotional freefall was resolved.

As Morgan passed her with Bess' requested pot, Julia got a boost up to climb back onboard to scan the pilot while he slept.

Settling under a small tree near the ATV, Baines looked over his shoulder in time to see a lone grendler round a nearby rock and lope toward the small encampment.

"Grendler in camp!"

As the alarm echoed through the camp, the grendler shrewdly eyed the small group and their possessions, the large vehicle piled high with equipment immediately attracting its attention. As it approached the vehicle, its nose began to tingle as a beguiling scent lazily wound its way into its brain. Grunting, the grendler shifted side to side, wrinkling its nose to determine the source of the intoxicating smell then, finding it, followed the scent to its source only to find itself blocked by the iron bars of the sidebasket. Behind the bars, a large human lay watching it with a smaller one trying to block its view. The grendler could smell the fear and anticipation from the two humans, the scent nearly masking the odor which initially enticed it closer.

"..no..."

Bracing his hands, Alonzo pushed himself back as far as he could go as the grendler tried to reach through the bars. Baines' alert had awakened the pilot and now he found himself once again facing a persistent grendler with no way out. Alonzo glanced around frantically for an escape route as the grendler continued to duck and bob directly in front of him, eagerly following its nose. Hearing the shouts of alarm coming closer, it grabbed at the bars with increasing urgency, bending some as it tried to climb up the side of the vehicle only to have the petite doctor stomp on its paws.

Yelling at the top of her lungs beside the pilot, Julia desperately tried to distract the creature. "Go! Get away! Danziger, get over here!"

Growing impatient, the grendler impulsively thrust a hand through the bars, striking Alonzo solidly in the mid-section with a sickening thud as it desperately grabbed at him. Crying out in pain, the pilot immediately doubled over, his arms protectively cradling his torso. Alonzo gasped for breath as he struggled to breathe against the searing pain. As if seeing it in slow motion, Julia watched in horror as a tremor coursed through the pilot and a small trickle of blood escaped his lips.

"ALONZO! NO!"

As the scent grew stronger, the grendler grew more excited, more insistent. The TransRover shook and dipped as the grendler suddenly began clawing at the sidebasket. The obsessed creature single-mindedly clung to the bars, throwing its weight against the vehicle before tugging mightily. Clinging tightly to the canvas behind her, Julia hooked the heels of her boots on the rail of the sidebasket for balance while the TransRover rocked violently from side to side. Lying underneath her legs, Alonzo slammed against the bars repeatedly. He gasped against the pain, trying to breathe, to maintain control.

Julia waved one arm overhead to attract the men's attention. "DANZIGER!"

Blinded by pain and fear, Alonzo could hear the pounding footsteps as the men came running to help him. He could taste the coppery tang the grendlers craved as he coughed again. The whine of Mag-Pros grew closer, the panic rose.

"Don't shoot! Don't shoot!"

A weapon went off. The grendler squealed and disappeared.

Still clutching his abdomen, Alonzo's head fell back, his face twisted in pain. "..noooo..."

Nearby, Alonzo heard Danziger yelling. "Go! Go! Go! Keep your gear on! Magus, track them!"

Hands were everywhere. The diaglove hovered over him as someone peeled his arms apart. Alonzo tried to pull away, to protect himself, only to collapse limply as his adrenaline plummeted. Through the pain, he could feel himself lifted then rushed into a hastily erected tent. His eyesight rapidly narrowing and fading, all Alonzo could see was Danziger's worried eyes as the man gently placed him on a cot.

Danziger bent low as he saw the pilot's lips move. "Hey, man, try not to waste your energy. Julia's gonna fix you right up."

Alonzo tried again, his fingers barely hanging onto the mechanic's sleeve.

Giving Julia an apologetic glance as she prepared the pilot for surgery, Danziger bent so his ear was next to the pilot's mouth. "Ok, 'Lonz, I'm right here."

"Dead?"

Taking a step to the side, Danziger looked up to the doctor at his elbow, who was frantically working around him. "I don't know what he's asking."

Julia busily bent around the mechanic to gently reassure the pilot, "No, Alonzo, it isn't dead."

Danziger turned to the pilot in surprise. He shook his head. "No, 'Lonz. We just scared it off. They're out chasing it now to see if they can find any stashes."

Scooting around to the head of the cot to get out of the doctor's way, the mechanic bent low again when the pilot tugged on his sleeve. His heart sank as Alonzo barely managed,

"Take care of her…"

A soft hiss ended any further discussion.

ooooooooooooooo

With one arm around Bess, Yale emerged from the med-tent. He wearily released Bess to Morgan, who mutely gathered his wife to him, allowing her to bury her bloodshot eyes into his shoulder. The tutor took in a deep breath of fresh air as the group gathered around him. He could see the men had returned from chasing the grendler and had taken up vigil nearby also as they sorted through some items they had managed to find. John Danziger moodily sat where Yale last saw him a few hours earlier, watching sentry outside the med-tent. Devon impulsively approached the tutor, questions on her lips.

"Come. Come sit." The tutor led them all to the fire, grabbing a crate for himself. Suddenly feeling every year of his age, Yale slowly eased onto his seat, then folded his hands before placing his elbows on his knees. He studied his thumbs before he began, "Alonzo came through surgery, however he has lost a considerable amount of blood. As you all know, he was still quite anemic from his prior injuries. With everyone available already having given him blood recently and his reaction to his last transfusion, Julia feels, even if the blood were available, another reaction could kill him. The next 72 hours will be extremely critical. You must be aware, if his organs or heart begin to fail, there is very little Julia can do."

"Are you trying to tell us he's dying?"

Yale turned toward Walman and sighed. "It's a strong possibility. Julia feels you all should be prepared. He is not stable but he is still alive."

Magus leaned forward from where she was sitting. "What about the terrians? Could they help?"

Yale shook his head forlornly. "Julia told me he hasn't begun to dream yet. Even if they could or would help him, it is unlikely they even know where he is."

"Alonzo is a fighter," Devon stressed as she looked into the stricken faces of her friends, willing them to not give up hope.

"He is indeed," Yale agreed with a cautious smile.

"He was so worried about that damn grendler." Danziger shook his head. "I know he took it hard when we ran into the trouble on that scout, but…"

Exchanging uncomfortable glances, everyone nervously looked at the mechanic sideways from under their brows. That scouting mission had become somewhat of a taboo subject within their group after the facts finally became known. The pain it brought the four members of that team made it better left alone.

"There was another grendler," Morgan offered as he tentatively approached the circle with Bess.

"What are you talking about, Martin?"

"There was a grendler back at the cave they kept him at," Morgan explained somberly. "He slipped past Rogers' guys and tried to take Alonzo."

"Take him?"

"Yeah. It wanted his blood; ripped the cut on his forehead open. He was all tied up so he couldn't even fight back."

"What happened?"

Morgan averted his eyes from Danziger. "They… uh…" Clinging to Bess, his free hand sought somewhere to go. Morgan wiped his brow with the heel of his palm, smoothed his hair, then rested it on his hip before finally answering the mechanic. "They killed it with Alonzo's Mag-Pro when it started dragging him off."

Danziger stood abruptly, pacing away from the group as he covered his eyes then ran his hands through his hair, his fingers tangling in the curls. That nightmare would never go away. It taunted him still with unanswerable doubts, visiting him on the longest of nights. Bowing his head, he crossed his arms with a grimace.

His hand covering his mouth, Yale watched the mechanic worriedly through his fingers. "My God! Morgan, who told you this? Alonzo?"

"No, Alonzo hasn't said a word about it. Rogers told us. I guess 'Lonz took it really hard – scared them real bad. Julia will kill anyone who brings it up with him."

"That's understandable." Devon continued to watch Danziger, carefully trying to gauge how to deal with this revelation. She glanced over to Morgan, who looked for all the world like he just wanted to disappear. "That handprint…"

Morgan blinked at her for a moment.

"The one on his left bicep?" Yale asked Devon and Morgan both as he realized the significance of that mark.

The liaison nodded. "Yeah."

Absorbing the news, Devon turned to Yale. "Can we go see him?"

"Julia asked for a few minutes alone with him. I would suggest we finish setting up camp, then only a few at a time. We don't wish to overwhelm either of them."

ooooooooooooooo

--end Part 12—


	13. Chapter 13

Part 13

ooooooooooooooo

With one arm around Bess, Morgan escaped to his tent. He was shaken to the core – more so by Bess' reaction than anything Yale had told them. Bess was his rock and had always been a difficult person to rattle, yet here she was, her soulful eyes red-rimmed, her beautiful face tear-streaked. Entering their tent, they edged over to their pallet where they sat, held in each other's arms.

"Bess, is it really as bad as Yale said?"

"There was so much blood, Morgan…" She held out her freshly scrubbed hands, looking at them as if searching for a missing spot while she sagged against him, exhausted. After a short while, Bess looked up to him, her eyes wide. "Morgan, why didn't you tell me about the grendler?" Her eyes and the set of her lips held a tinge of disappointment.

He was startled by her change of subject and caught himself at a sudden loss. Ducking his head, he shook it before returning her gaze. "I… ah… I'm sorry, Bess. I just… It's still…" Averting his gaze, Morgan fiddled with a hole in his pants leg as he began, "When Rogers told us…" He looked to her then, seeking her approval. "It just brought it all back."

Bess cupped his cheek in her palm. "It's all right, Morgan." She forced a smile. "I understand."

While Bess gave him a gentle squeeze of reassurance, Morgan reflected once again how fortunate he was to have her. He knew, of the four who were on that scout, despite his injuries, he had had it the easiest when they had returned to the biodome. Julia and Alonzo certainly had each other and he knew Devon had sought out Danziger after the fact, but he had Bess, who not only didn't harbor any guilt herself but also truly understood the situation they had found themselves in.

They had come so close to tragedy on that cursed scout. Morgan vividly remembered his conversation with Alonzo after the fight, when John and Julia had left camp to get the grendler meat. He knew he'd likely never forget it……

_"Alonzo?"_

_"….."_

_"'Lonz? Are you there?"_

_"….."_

_"Alonzo! Are you ok?"_

_"I'm right here, Morgan. I'm right here. What do you need?"_

_"I don't want to die."_

_"No one does, Morgan."_

_"But… Are you gonna eat it?"_

_"It isn't right, Morgan."_

_"But, if we don't, we'll die."_

_"….."_

_"Alonzo?"_

_"Then, eat it then."_

_"What about Julia?"_

_"She went with John to get it… She'll eat it."_

_"You really don't know much about women, do you?"_

_"What's that supposed to mean?"_

_"Are you gonna eat it?"_

_"Morgan…"_

_"If you don't, she won't either!"_

_"Sure she will. She has to. She's our only doctor; she knows everyone relies on her."_

_"She won't. Bess wouldn't if I didn't."_

_"Morgan, she isn't Bess."_

_"Yeah, but she's as stubborn as Bess and she obviously loves you – everyone's seen it. If you won't eat it, she'll hold out until you eat first."_

_"No, she won't."_

_"Do you seriously believe that?"_

_"He killed it. It wasn't going after me; it was just trying to protect its home."_

_"Bess is my life, Alonzo. I'd do anything for her."_

_"Morgan, there was a nest there."_

_"What?"_

_"It had young. Babies, Morgan. I hope Julia doesn't notice..."_

_"Do you really want to watch Julia starve to death?"_

_"What kind of a question is that?"_

_"An honest one. Can you answer it?"_

_"She'll eat it. Besides, her chromosomes are skewed to handle less food better than us. She might make it even if she doesn't eat."_

_"So, you want her to watch you starve to death? What do you think that's gonna do to her?"_

_"….."_

_"Alonzo?"_

_"Morgan, I don't know."_

_"Alonzo, you have to – for Julia."_

_"I don't think I can. It isn't right, Morgan!"_

_"If you don't, and something happens to you, it'll break her heart."_

Morgan remembered the distant, haunted look which came over the pilot's eyes when he said that. Somehow, something he had said had reached the pilot, bringing with it a look of pure pain which rapidly transcended to intent resolution.

Morgan looked to his wife, who had been watching him closely. He wordlessly tightened his embrace, kissed her cheek and then rocked her gently in his arms.

ooooooooooooooo

Devon silently entered the med-tent. With the beeps and whirrs of the various monitors punctuated by the rasp of Alonzo's labored breathing, the tent reminded her all too much of the Syndrome ward. Her back to the door, Julia sat next to the pilot, her head bowed, one hand absently toying with a small pendant.

Her lips parting with an inaudible sigh, Devon looked down at Alonzo as he lay before her, bundled under a pile of blankets, his arms and legs elevated, the cot slightly tipped towards his head with his head sharply draped over a roll under his neck. As simply another reminder of why they were here, Devon noticed the nasal cannula appropriated from Uly's immunosuit snugged to Alonzo's nose.

Her heart warmed momentarily when her thoughts flashed to her son. Back at her tent, he was earnestly trying to reach the terrians just as he had been doing unsuccessfully since the pilot originally disappeared. When the terrian came for Gilbert, Ulysses had broken his word to stay in their tent with True and had come running, thinking it was responding to his summons, only to be sternly escorted back to the tent when he was noticed. Yet, as Devon had noticed many of the natives they had encountered had, that terrian had barely glanced in his direction as it brushed past him on its way to the med-tent.

As much as the terrians had changed him, Devon knew Uly was still consciously unaware of his abilities for the most part. He barely remembered his few terrian experiences; even his first Mooncross memories were more due to what he had been told rather than what he remembered himself. Alonzo had told her Uly would not be called for a long time but had also explained the terrians saw time differently, so it was anyone's guess when that time would be – certainly too late to help now.

Julia looked up as Devon drew close on the other side of the cot. The doctor's eyes followed hers as Devon looked sadly at the pilot and then curiously followed the line up to the half-full bottle of blood hanging over his head.

"We tried to preserve as much blood as we could collect during surgery. That was all we managed to salvage from him," Julia explained quietly. "Fortunately, the transfusions he received earlier this week stimulated his marrow to a degree, so he should process blood faster than normal. Until then, we need to keep him positioned to maximize what blood he has."

"Yale told us it's very serious."

Julia looked down to Alonzo, replying in barely a whisper, "Yes, it is."

"Can he hear us?"

"I don't know. He's so deep, I doubt it, but there's no real way to be sure."

"Would you like me to watch him for a while so you can take a break?"

Continuing to watch the pilot, Julia silently shook her head.

Devon sympathetically contemplated the young doctor. Uncertainly, she broached, "You know, when Uly was sick, the toughest thing I had to learn to do was to step out for a moment, even just to take a deep breath."

Julia glanced up briefly before returning to her scrutiny. "I'll go in a little while. Right now, I need to be here."

"Do you mind the company?"

Julia granted Devon a quick almost-smile. "I appreciate it, Devon." She slipped the diaglove under the covers.

Devon could hear its hum as Julia activated it.

The doctor watched a scanner propped against the blankets as her hand explored Alonzo's chest. Drawing it back out, she adjusted the blankets and sat back. "Did they find anything this afternoon?"

Grabbing a seat, Devon answered, "A few things -- nothing of particular value except for some vehicle parts."

"No medical equipment?"

Devon's heart sank. "No. Nothing." She noticed the doctor didn't try to hide her disappointment.

"It's hard to believe, with a colony of Syndrome children coming, that we don't have one endotracheal tube," Julia complained. She brushed her hair back in frustration.

"He needs to be intubated?" Devon asked in alarm as she noticed the respiratory suction equipment staged next to him for the first time.

"He needs far more than that, but a dedicated airway would be helpful. He's at high risk for aspiration. I've done what I can to minimize the factors. I've inserted a feeding tube directly into his stomach and positioned him as best I can but that's about all I'm equipped to do proactively. It would be better if I could put him on his stomach or his side but this will have to do for now."

Seeing the desperation in the young doctor's eyes, Devon sighed. Even though she did not wish to add to Julia's troubles, she had to inform her, "John is afraid the grendler may come back. They're doubling the watch. Someone will be outside the med-tent at all times, if you need them."

"Do you really think it'll come back?"

Devon shrugged. "I don't really know. John was pretty adamant. You were right there. Do you think it intended to hurt Alonzo?"

"I don't know, Devon. It happened so fast. It was sniffing and it seemed more like it was trying to get behind us. I think it smelled Alonzo's blood. His drain is still in and he was almost due for a bandage change, so he had quite a bit of discharge in the bandaging. Gilbert mentioned that the grendlers in their area were aware of human blood but I'm not sure this one knew where the blood came from any more than the grendlers who kidnapped me last winter did. I know the grendlers are exceptionally strong by human standards, I just can't believe what damage they can inflict in one blow."

"Morgan told us about—" Suddenly mindful of what the doctor had said about Alonzo's awareness, Devon caught herself in dismay before she went any further.

"About what?"

"Nothing. It isn't important."

At a loss, Julia stared blankly at her abashed friend until realization dawned. When Rogers had told her and Morgan what had happened to the pilot during his stay with them, it had dredged up memories better left forgotten.

Putting her palm to her forehead as the grief and exhaustion began to catch up with her, Julia's eyes grew distant as she remembered the dank, dimly lit cavern, the raised nursery with the grendlers' young, likely doomed since their eyes were not yet open, their mother dead in the corner. The thought of what they had to do to survive and the price they paid weighed heavily on the young doctor to this day.

She knew she would never forget the argument with Alonzo and his desperate, accusing eyes when she voted against him. Julia had come back, intending to hold out until he ate first, even if it meant losing him, but Morgan and he apparently had had a talk while they were gone. By the time she and Danziger returned from that ghastly task, all she encountered was cooperation and a contrite apology.

Julia had prepared the grendler meat as best she could with what meager supplies they had and had rationed it out to the men. While Danziger and Alonzo gagged and retched behind her, Julia had crawled over to Morgan. The injured man tried repeatedly, but he could not bring himself to drink from the offered cup. She begged him to eat, yet, the more she pushed, the more he pushed back, unable to get past the reality of what was in the cup.

Julia was nearing the end of her rope; her hand shook as Morgan continued to protest. Suddenly, there was a warm hand on hers, taking the cup away. She felt Alonzo's comforting presence as he lightly rested his other hand on the small of her back.

"Let me," he softly offered, before scooting close to Morgan. As the doctor watched, the pilot bent low over the liaison. "Morgan, you gotta do this. For Bess."

Morgan shook his head. "I can't. I just… ..can't."

"What did you tell me? 'Bess is my life'? What do you think you are to her? You can't give up now. Remember what we talked about?"

"Alonzo, I—"

"Trust me. Don't think, just swallow. You gotta do it. If not for yourself, for her," he urged as he helped Morgan drink.

They all choked down the bloody slurry that night and hoped it would be enough – none of them could muster the strength to eat anything more. When Yale and Walman found them, it was nearly too late.

Julia never pressed Alonzo on what had passed between him and Morgan that night. She caught some small glimpses between his apology and his conversation with Morgan, but, as much as she was not sure she was prepared to know the whole story, she was doubly appreciative of what Morgan had done during her absence.

Running her fingers through her hair, Julia found Devon watching her with concern. Unable to meet her gaze through the storm of emotions, Julia smoothed Alonzo's blankets again, needing to feel his solidity despite her analytical mind's persistent catalog of critical symptoms. Her hand absently strayed to her necklace as she sat back.

Clasping her hands, Devon leaned forward, her elbows on her lap. "We will get through this, Julia. He'll get through this."

ooooooooooooooo

Wandering near the TransRover, Walman yawned again. He and Magus were taking turns during their watch shift between sitting next to the med-tent and walking the perimeter. After a stern lecture from Danziger about keeping alert, Magus had suggested they swap back and forth every hour to help Walman stay awake. With a deep sigh, the crewman peered into the shadows beyond the perimeter markers. He had spent much of the afternoon chasing the grendler with a couple of the other men and, once they returned to the bad news, any chance at sleep eluded him when he tried to grab a quick nap. Clearing his mind with a quick shake of his head and a couple pats on the cheek, he scrutinized the camp before heading back toward the med-tent.

All of a sudden, a soft hooting could be heard amidst the night sounds over his left shoulder. Walman spun around and squinted his eyes to scan the area. His eyes took a moment to adjust to the sudden change of light from the campfire to dark of the forest beyond. As suddenly as the sound began, it ended. Walman suspiciously peered into the darkness, cursing under his breath at the overcast sky which only made his job tougher.

Seeing the crewman turn abruptly from where she sat watch, Magus vigilantly rose to her feet. "Did you see something?"

He beckoned her closer. "I dunno. I thought I heard something over there. You see anything?"

Magus followed his arm, searching the night. "I don't see anything. It's so dark. Wait a minute, what's that?" She pointed to a large shape outside the markers. "I think one of those boulders moved."

Walman looked at the area in confusion. "Which one?"

A boulder shifted slightly then remained still, the light from the perimeter sensors slipping across its features when it moved. Watching the subject of their scrutiny closely, both crewpeople cautiously approached the perimeter. Walman slid his finger over the Mag-Pro's controls, activating the weapon. Hearing the whine, the boulder reared up with a loud bleat and scampered away from the camp.

"Shank! It isn't giving up, is it?"

"What's going on?" Danziger's voice boomed from a nearby tent.

"The grendler came back. It was sitting over there," Magus reported through the canvas.

With a quick reassuring word to his daughter, Danziger emerged from his tent. Rubbing his haggard features, he regarded the two sentries. "Where? Show me."

Walman pointed toward the small collection of boulders. "He blended right in. I didn't see him until he made some noise."

"One of you better get back to the med-tent. It knows what it wants and where to get it. I don't want anyone leaving camp alone and unarmed. Come morning, we should try to track it again. See if we can find any more stashes."

ooooooooooooooo

--end Part 13—


	14. Chapter 14

Part 14

ooooooooooooooo

Over the next few days, the grendler returned often. After rebuffing several overtures to trade with both Martins, with any show of arms on the colonists' part, it would scamper off only to lead the crew on wild, rambling forays into the countryside beyond camp in a frantic game of cat and mouse. So far, the perimeter markers had discouraged it from venturing into the camp itself, but Danziger noted it grew bolder daily as it sized up the humans it faced.

Pausing to catch his breath, Morgan slapped his hands onto his knees to wheeze while Baines and Walman hurtled past him. Once again, the grendler had been found lurking around the camp. The liaison had tried to engage the creature in trade, but it clearly had its mind set on what it wished to trade for and, while they suspected what it truly wanted, they had yet to offer anything which would satisfy it.

Instead, the men had ended up in hot pursuit of the creature yet again in hopes of finding more of their equipment. With the creature remaining tantalizingly close to them all day, always reappearing just when they considered turning back, they had been chasing the grendler seemingly endlessly through the rolling terrain north of camp. And now, Morgan found himself far from camp, out of breath and alone, watching the two crewmen disappear into the wooded wilderness.

Morgan muttered under his breath to himself. He would much rather be guarding the med-tent but Danziger had commandeered that duty from sunup to well after sundown every day since Alonzo was injured. Instead, by some stroke of capricious fate, he was the one expected to try to reason with this dangerous creature and chase it when it invariably would dash off for whatever reason moved its drooly little brain.

While the men were now out of sight, Morgan could still hear them crashing through the dense underbrush. Not wishing to be left behind in the wilderness, he trotted toward the sounds of the chase, hoping to at least keep them in hearing range. The sounds of the forest became louder as the noisy flurry of the two men and grendler faded into the distance. Birds resumed their calls, a chattering of some unseen small creatures echoed loudly, the wind briskly ruffled the trees, their leaves fluttering together while branches ground one against the other.

Losing track of the men, Morgan rolled his eyes then closed them in frustration. Impatiently, he keyed his gear. "Baines, Walman, you there?" His heart sank as they did not reply. He keyed the gear again as he fought to keep the panic at bay. "Bess? Please come in, Bess." Static was his only answer. He looked around indecisively, trying to determine the best way back to camp.

Morgan hadn't paid much attention as they chased the grendler this time. Baines tended to keep a close log of these chases since it was so easy to get turned around in the undulating terrain, especially when running full tilt in multiple directions with the knowledge that some of the surrounding terrain blocked gear signals, making relying on camp to guide them home foolhardy.

Morgan strained to see if he could hear the river, then surveyed the forest to see if any direction seemed more sparse. The forest appeared the same in every direction, the river might as well have been a million miles away. Sighing to himself, he headed back the way he thought he came from, looking for evidence of their passage to backtrack on. He left his gear channel open, hoping the men would try to contact him when they realized he had become separated from them or that Bess would start trying to find him when he didn't report in. He knew, with the transmissions so unpredictable, it would be a while before Bess would become concerned.

He trooped along, grateful for every broken branch, every scuff mark or footstep he found along the way. While he was nervous about his situation, every sign of human passage reassured him. Not seeing anything for a while, Morgan leaned against a tree to pause for a drink and to consider the area. By now the only thing quelling the rising panic was the knowledge that Bess wouldn't allow them to stop looking for him and that they had the time to look in the first place, since Alonzo couldn't be moved. Through the trees he could see a small rise ahead of him. Thinking it might be a good idea to try transmitting from the higher ground, Morgan tied his scarf to a nearby tree to establish his position and headed for the hill.

As Morgan approached the hill, while still small, it grew more imposing, like a giant boulder thrust from the ground. He considered it uncertainly. Surely he would have noticed this if they had run by it. Figuring he had nothing to lose, he began climbing. The hill ascended gradually at first, then became steeper as it cleared the trees. Its sides were sheer rock in places, with other, more gentle slopes still rocky yet passable, their surface punctuated by scrub and lichen.

Morgan clambered up, trying to find a spot where he felt it would be best to try his gear. The headset had remained silent all this time, only occasionally spitting static into his ear. Reaching the top of the hill, he found it was surprisingly level. Some plants clung stubbornly to the surface, bowing to the brisk wind. Shielding his eyes, Morgan scanned for signs of the camp or river, hoping to at least find a landmark for his troubles. The sweat that had formed during the climb was now chilling him here at the top despite now being under direct sunlight.

Far in the distance, Morgan could barely make out the opposite rim of the canyon. Encouraged, he eagerly tracked its course, determining where it wound as it disappeared behind the blanket of trees. Keying his gear, he paced around while he called out, "Eden camp. Bess? Come in."

Magus' voice answered him. "Morgan? Where are you?"

Morgan's heart leapt. He smiled a sigh of relief. "Is Bess there? I got separated from Walman and Baines. I'm on a hill in the forest. Can you get a fix on my location? I can see the canyon a little. Here's a P.O.V."

"Morgan?!" Bess' voice thrilled in his mind.

He fumbled to swing his eyepiece back quickly to see his wife.

"I was so worried! Baines called us over an hour ago to say they lost you. Stay still. We're triangulating now."

Finally at a point he could relax, Morgan sagged onto a rock while he waited. Looking up, he glanced at the sky, noticing for the first time the dark bank of clouds as it scudded determinedly in his direction. He dropped his chin to his chest in frustration, knowing he would never outrun the storm and that it was somehow his fault. "Bess? We've got a storm coming right this way. I'd better get down from here."

"OK, just another minute."

Morgan could hear Bess and a few others conferring on their end of the line. He looked nervously at the sky once again. "How are we doing there?"

"OK, we've got it. We're sending Cameron and Mazatl out. Once they're ready, it should take them about two hours to reach you. They'll meet you on the south side of that hill."

Checking the area Bess directed him to, Morgan carefully started to descend. He was relieved to find that the gear signal was much better on this side and, even more, that the two quietest members of their group were the ones coming to guide him back. Morgan knew just about anyone else would be merciless the entire way back if not for days to come. Bess kept him company as he clambered off the top and worked his way down.

The rain didn't start for earnest until he was well into the trees, slicking the carpet of humus and leaves, making travel treacherous. Morgan clung to each branch and sapling as he wound his way down, picking his steps carefully on the slippery surface which separated in places where the sodden surface moss crumbled and compressed under his weight. When his foot shot out from underneath him, he hugged a tree tightly, scuffing his hands and face against the rough bark as he slammed into it with a shout.

"Morgan? Are you all right?"

Hanging by his arms as his feet sought purchase on the leaf-covered peat, he replied tersely, "Just communing with nature, Bess."

"Morgan, what is that supposed to mean?"

"I slipped. The ground is getting really slippery here."

"Well, be careful."

Backpedalling to return upright, Morgan reluctantly released the tree once he had his feet under him again. He gingerly stepped over a log in the way, hanging onto it as he swung his other leg over. Before he had a chance to turn around, his feet hit another wet patch and he slipped, sliding feet first down the hill.

Flailing in every direction, Morgan barely had a chance to flip over onto his back as he careened down the hill. He grabbed frantically at anything and everything to try to stop or slow his fall. Small rocks, ruts and roots poked and tugged at him, low-lying branches scraped across his body and he'd occasionally scuff against tree bark, yet his plummet continued. He slammed into something and heard an odd crack as he began to tumble helplessly along the gentle lower reaches. Eventually, his momentum ceased. He lay in a jumbled heap against a small bush gasping for air as his heart hammered a crazed staccato pattern. He could hear Bess shouting in his ear over the roaring sound.

Afraid to move, Morgan lay still for a moment, trying to get his bearings. Bess was still begging him to reply, but first he needed to disentangle his long limbs from each other. Sorting himself out, Morgan was horrified to find his left leg sitting canted at an unnatural angle to the side. Realization struck about the same time the waves of pain hit.

ooooooooooooooo

Bess flew into the med-tent. "JULIA! Morgan's been hurt!"

Julia was already on her feet. "What? What happened?"

"He fell and broke his leg chasing the grendler!" Bess fumbled with her gear, disentangling it from her mass of curls. "Here. He's still online."

Julia took the proffered gear and settled it on her head. "Morgan? How are you?"

His face unnaturally pale, Morgan looked back through glassy eyes drawn with strain. "I... Lemme show you." He turned the eyepiece away, directing it towards his leg.

Julia's jaw clenched when she saw the damage Morgan's fall had caused. Her emotions roiling inside, she calmly directed him through a basic triage while Bess anxiously fluttered next to her. Handing the headset back to Bess, she asked, "He said you sent Cameron and Mazatl. Have they left to get him yet?"

"Yes, they left about 20 minutes ago."

Apprehensively glancing at Alonzo, Julia determinedly shook her head. "Have them come back immediately. And, could you please have Yale come here?"

Keying her gear, Bess spun on her heels to sign off from Morgan and recall the DuneRail. Once they were turned around, Bess raced across camp to find the tutor, returning to the med-tent with him close behind moments later.

Julia looked up from scanning the pilot as they entered. "Yale, I need you to monitor Alonzo while I go out to get Morgan. With the front coming in and his location in the forest, they're estimating it'll take a couple hours to reach him." As the tutor pressed his lips together to ask her a question, she continued, "Alonzo's beginning to develop a slight fever, so please keep an eye on that. And, if I'm not back in time, don't forget to watch him as the sun goes down. With the anemia, he's extremely cold-sensitive. It's very important he doesn't catch a chill." Not pausing in her instructions, Julia sorted some vials on her work bench. "I have his medications laid out and the chronometer is set. I'll be on gear if you have any questions or problems while I'm gone."

Shocked by the sudden turn of events, Bess glanced over at the doctor, who was busily packing a kit. "Julia, are you sure?"

"He has at least a displaced fracture of the femur. I need to stabilize him before he's moved. With this sort of fracture there's always the risk of an embolism. I really have to go."

"I'm going, too. Let me get my jacket."

"No, Bess. I'll need the men to help me. I'm afraid there won't be room for you in the DuneRail. Stay online with Morgan. It's going to take us a while to get to him and he'll appreciate the company. If there's any change in his condition, you can let me know."

Cameron ducked his head into the tent. "We're back. Doc, are you coming?"

Julia nodded as she hefted her bag. Crossing the tent in long strides, she joined the men in the DuneRail.

Wordlessly, Yale watched the doctor leave. Bess followed Julia to the door then turned to the tutor as he settled next to the pilot. Her gear chirruped as Morgan's signal came through, his wide eyes filling the vision in her right eye.

Swinging the eyepiece away for a moment, Bess asked the tutor, "Do you need any help, Yale? I hate to leave you here alone."

"I'm fine. John is right outside should I need anything. Go, do as Julia suggested; Morgan needs the company right now. If you see Devon, why not send her over?"

Bess smiled her thanks to the tutor before escaping to her tent.

ooooooooooooooo

He could feel his slow climb to consciousness as his nerves slowly came awake. It was cold. Too cold. Freezing. Something wasn't right. Trying to move, he found he couldn't. His fingers and toes just phantom memories. His limbs unresponsive. Each breath was a painful effort as he struggled to draw air into his distressed lungs. He could feel his heart straining to move his blood, the slight tug on his chest, abdomen and groin when he attempted to move once again.

Trying to remain calm, Alonzo tried to listen past the pounding of his heart, its staccato rhythm increasing exponentially, yet not before he realized what was missing and where he was. Panic swept in. The cold sleep tube.

Was everything that had happened a dream? What about Julia? Was she a figment of his imagination? Horrified at the thought, he released a sob of loss, frustration and pain. He fought to wake up. To escape. He struggled to fall back to blissful sleep but the terror held him firmly in its grasp. He was frozen to the bone and alone. As much as he knew the futility of it, he railed against it as the primal fight or flight reflex took control.

And, amidst it all, he couldn't stop worrying about what had happened to his ship.

ooooooooooooooo

The DuneRail skimmed across the sodden ground, occasionally dipping into a hollow to once again douse the three drenched people intently racing to Morgan's rescue. The rain pounded down in sheets, reducing the visibility to mere inches beyond the vehicle. By the first hour, they were all soaked through despite the heavy tarp they used to cover the DuneRail. Julia's stomach clenched both from her worry for the patient she left behind and the skidding, careening vehicle Cameron barely controlled as he tried to get her to Morgan as fast as possible and back to camp again. The storm had come up quickly, pushing a brisk wind before it. Thunderheads rose high into the sky darkening the day as much as the intermittent lightning lit it up with earsplitting cracks and earthshaking booms. The rain was relentless, driving into them as they drove through the storm, arcing far along the forest's boundary before tracking into it at the closest point to Morgan's position.

Entering the forest, Cameron slowed the vehicle. With the dense canopy above them, the rain wasn't as bad, but it still shortened visibility and slicked their travel. With the coordinates provided, they carefully wound the vehicle through the woods. Cresting a slight rise, Julia's gear beeped insistently. A hand on Cameron's arm brought the vehicle to a sudden stop.

"Yes?"

The sounds of monitor alarms and commotion could be heard over the rain pounding the med-tent behind the tutor. "Julia, I'm sorry to bother you but something's wrong with Alonzo. His temperature and heartrate have gone up considerably and he's delirious."

Julia's heart sank. She had sat by the pilot's side for days without even a flicker of movement and now, while she was unavoidably away from him with little hope of returning for hours, he had a crisis. "Yale, let me see him."

The tutor swung the eyepiece away for a P.O.V. scan. Julia could see Alonzo's head straining as it rolled side to side and occasionally reared up, his mouth moving in a constant stream of unintelligible words. As Yale lifted the blankets away, Julia could see his arms and legs, the muscles bunched as they contracted towards his torso. Alonzo was covered in a sheen of sweat as tremor after tremor racked his body. Yale tucked the blankets back around the pilot and swung the eyepiece back. His eyes held an open apology.

"What's his temperature?"

"40.1"

The doctor sighed softly. Too high.

"How about his heartrate?"

"140 and erratic."

The doctor hopped out of the vehicle to pace around in the rain, hugging herself as she concentrated on the conversation with her head bowed against the rain to hear better. Julia guided Yale through a physical, covering all the important vitals, then some basic treatments, hydrating the pilot, relaxing his muscles, reducing his fever and stabilizing his heart.

When the pilot yelled out in the background, Julia asked, "Can you understand him at all?"

"He has mentioned you, the cold, the ship and getting out, other than those words, I cannot say I caught anything else. Even with those, he hasn't formed a distinct sentence. Let me give you another P.O.V. and see if you can make any sense of it at all." Yale turned his eyepiece away again, focusing it on Alonzo's face.

Julia watched as the pilot's features twisted in the grips of fever, the strain he was obviously under terrified her. Listening to his ramblings for a moment, she spoke into Yale's ear. "Have you been able to keep him warm?"

"We added more blankets when the front moved in. The temperature in camp dropped 11 degrees within a half hour. When he started talking about the cold, Devon sent for Danziger to bring a heater. He should be here any minute. He's collecting what he needs now."

"Good. I know it sounds strange, but you definitely need to warm him up more. His ramblings have a pattern to them. I believe he thinks he's trapped in cold sleep. Hopefully, if you can get him warm enough, he'll settle down. You need to do it fast, though. He can't handle the strain he's under for very long. Just be careful of his fever."

"John is here now. They're setting up," The tutor reassured her as he nodded beyond Julia's vision.

"That should do it. Get the air in the tent up to at least 30 degrees. Watch his temperature, though. If you need to, remove some blankets. How's he doing?"

"His heart is stabilizing. We're at 114 and steady already," Yale reported. "I'll let you know immediately of any other changes.

"Are we turning around?" Cameron asked from beyond the headset as Julia climbed back into the DuneRail.

"No. We've made it this far out and we need to get Morgan back for treatment as soon as possible. Yale seems to have it as under control as it can be. There's no sense in turning around now. How much further?"

"Maybe another couple of klicks. We may have to hike in the last little bit."

"Let's get going, then. Yale, any change?"

"John is setting up the heater now and the muscle relaxers are working. Devon and I are rubbing him down. He appears to be quieting a little."

Julia could hear Devon's agreement through the tutor's feed. Urging Cameron onward, she gave Yale a status report and last minute instructions before putting her gear back on standby. Crossing her arms tightly to her chest, she sunk deep into her seat to stare blankly into the storm.

ooooooooooooooo

Morgan morosely watched an insect crawl over a nearby log. His arm and shoulder ached from leaning on them, his hand had fallen asleep a while ago, much to his chagrin. A torrent of rainwater sluiced down the furrow his fall had created, soaking him thoroughly and forming a puddle underneath him. Morgan shivered as the wind picked up, its fingers easily slicing through his sodden clothing and chilling him to the bone. He gingerly shifted around to relieve some of the pressure off his arm, grunting in pain as his leg ground audibly.

"Morgan? Are you ok?"

Bess was his ray of sunshine in a life more accustomed to thunderclouds.

He bit back pain's nasty retort. "I can't get comfortable. My hand's asleep but, when I try to change positions, my leg hurts like hell," he complained.

"They should be there any time now."

"What's taking so long? You said that almost an hour ago."

"They had to stop for a little while. They're in the forest now, about a klick from you, if that."

"Why did they stop? Did Cameron see a bug or something?" The pain and frustration were asserting themselves again into the conversation.

Looking away from the eyepiece, Bess fell silent.

"I'm sorry, Bess." He seemed to be saying this a lot right now as she persisted in reassuring him while he waited. When she looked back at him again, his heart stopped for a second. "What's wrong?"

"Alonzo had a crisis a little while ago. He's getting worse."

"God, no." Morgan slumped as self-recrimination washed over him. The sick feeling he had held at bay since breaking his leg then hearing Julia was coming rose with the news. The pity he had so carefully been nursing turned to loathing instead.

"Morgan?"

He kept his eyes closed, his head bowed.

"Morgan! It isn't your fault. It was an accident."

"Bess, I…"

"I know. I know." She smiled as he met her eyes once more. "Morgan, have I told you I love you?"

He smiled. "All the time. I love you, too." A sound drew his attention. "I think I hear them." He eagerly looked around, seeking the source.

"Do you see them? They made good time."

"I dunno. HELLO?! Is someone out there?! I'm over here!" Morgan peered through the dusky forest in every direction he could look without wrenching his leg. "I don't see anyone, Bess."

"Well, they should be there soon."

"Do you think it will start healing before they set it? Then what?" He shuddered. Gilbert's leg had given him nightmares.

"Don't worry," she soothed. "If Julia could fix Gilbert's leg after six years, she can fix yours after six hours."

"That's what I'm afraid of…"

"Well, you took the bonehealer vaccine, so you don't have to worry about that."

"Why do you always find a good side, Bess?" He smiled to soften the jibe.

Bess smiled at him in return. Morgan sat quietly, picking at the leaves and other debris, trying to stave off the boredom. Looking for another distraction while he waited, he looked up at the canopy then southwards again. In the corner of his eye, he could see Bess' eyes grow wide.

"Morgan Honey, please tell me you're not bleeding…"

"Hunh? I don't think so -- it's mostly bumps and bruises, I think. I guess I have a couple scrapes from my run in with that tree and stuff. Why?"

Hot, gamey breath over his left shoulder gave him his answer.

ooooooooooooooo

--end Part 14—


	15. Chapter 15

Part 15

ooooooooooooooo

Julia hiked determinedly through the forest, Cameron at the lead with the stretcher in one hand and her medical kit, which he insisted on carrying, in the other, Mazatl taking up the rear with a Mag-Pro. They had abandoned the vehicle as the terrain and trees became too treacherous to drive through. As much as they watched their every step to avoid one more unwanted accident, they still hurried as fast as they dared towards Morgan's last coordinates. Yale had checked in again and, while Alonzo's fever remained unchanged, he had otherwise stabilized with the treatments and warmth. Eventually, through the mist, they could make out the form of the big hill Morgan had described.

A flash of color drew their attention. Slogging toward it, they found Morgan's scarf tied to a tree. Looking around warily, they separated slightly to search for the injured man, turning while they called out his name. Double-checking the coordinates, they skirted to the right side of the formation.

Julia pulled up short when her gear sounded in her ear. Immediately activating it, she was a little surprised to find Bess looking back at her, her eyes wide.

"Julia! Thank goodness you're in range again! There's a grendler!" Bess breathlessly informed the doctor.

"A grendler? Where?" Julia asked guardedly.

"With Morgan!"

Julia turned to inform the others. The two men looked around cautiously as they shifted from foot to foot.

"Can you get a fix on our location? How close are we?"

Bess could be heard conferring with someone off camera. She looked directly into the feed, her wringing hands barely in view as she bounced on the balls of her feet to try to contain her anxiety. "You're less than a half kilometer southwest of him. Please hurry!"

Pointing in the correct direction, Julia began jogging toward Morgan's location with the two men close behind. She could hear Mazatl activate the Mag-Pro, its whine chasing her forward. As they ran, they continued to call out Morgan's name, hoping for a reply to zero in on. Spying something out the corner of her eye, Julia grabbed Cameron by the sleeve, quickly giving the engineer instructions before dashing on. Cameron looked askance at the doctor but did as he was instructed while the two others ran ahead. Rounding a stand of trees, Julia pulled up short, nearly getting bowled over by Mazatl as she regarded the tableau in front of her.

A grendler crouched low on its haunches facing a very wide-eyed Morgan Martin, his shirt pulled up to the bridge of his nose, his right hand clamped onto his right cheek, his left braced against the ground, holding him upright. With their arrival, the grendler rose slightly and turned to face the newcomers, giving a snort of warning.

"Morgan, are you ok?"

"Uh, aside from a broken leg and a grendler that wants to eat me, I'm just peachy. Julia, get me out of here!"

"How long has it been here?"

"Too long -- maybe a half hour?" was the muffled reply.

"Have you tried to communicate with it at all?

"My pantomiming hands are otherwise occupied…"

"Why are you—"

"I scraped my face all up when I fell. I didn't want it to get any ideas!"

"Ok. Just be patient. We'll work this out."

The doctor looked over her shoulder as Cameron caught up to them, granting her a quick nod of confirmation before looking curiously past the doctor at Morgan. Mazatl leaned close to the pair, eyeing the grendler as he spoke with them. Julia looked at the creature curiously then to Cameron, who shrugged uncertainly.

"Morgan, is this the same grendler you were chasing? Mazatl thinks it may be a different one."

"I dunno. Does it matter?"

"Well, just because one is attracted to blood, it doesn't mean they all are. Has it shown what its intentions are at all?"

"Nope. It's just been sitting here smiling at me and drooling since it showed up."

"Good. Maybe we have nothing to worry about."

Julia took a step in Morgan's direction, only to be warned back as the grendler shook itself aggressively at her. Dropping the medical gear next to Mazatl, Cameron drew her back to him, then tried sidling past the creature in a more subtle arc. The grendler matched him pace for pace, moving closer to Morgan to shorten the area it had to guard. Cameron froze when the grendler, having enough of this game, grabbed Morgan by the collar.

"Please don't!" Morgan begged through his shirt without surrendering his odd position. He let out a yelp of pain when the grendler pulled slightly, startling the creature into jarring his leg again. His hand automatically flew down to his leg only to immediately snap back to its position on his face.

As Cameron backed off, the grendler released the liaison.

"What do you think it wants?"

Julia shrugged. "I don't know."

Morgan started to panic. "You aren't gonna shoot it, are you?"

"No." Julia looked over her shoulder to Mazatl who acknowledged her plea with an upraised eyebrow. "Not if we don't have to."

Julia turned to Cameron, quietly conferring with him for a minute. The colonist drew a small container out of his pocket to show the doctor. They both looked at the grendler speculatively then back down to the container.

Julia turned to Morgan again. "Morgan, if we tossed something to you, do you think you could catch it?"

"I dunno. I'd have to do it one-handed. I can try."

"Ok, Cameron is going to throw something to you. You need to open it and show it to the grendler." At his nervous nod, Julia added cautiously, "Morgan, promise me you're with me on this."

Morgan swallowed hard and licked his lips before shaking his head. "I don't know if I can promise that…"

Cameron raised the container so Morgan could see it. Bouncing in place, the grendler also eyed the colonist's prize eagerly. Cameron tossed the container underhand in a lofting spiral. It sailed through the air towards Morgan, momentarily catching the light where the first few rays of the sun cleared the glade as the storm continued its march across the planet. Releasing his cheek, Morgan leaned as much as he was able when it fell towards him. Just as his fingertips brushed against it, a sudden blow to the side of his head drove Morgan sideways into the ground. He screamed as his leg was bent over, his bodyweight landing on it. Blackness swallowed him.

Julia watched with dismay as Morgan fell on his injured leg, wrenching it further from its correct position. Hurtling over Morgan, the grendler caught the container and, its back to them, darted to the safety of a nearby tree to inspect its new prize. Opening it, the grendler squealed in alarm, tossing the container away from it as it frantically scurried away from the clearing in a mindless stampeding charge through the forest.

Julia rushed to Morgan's side, carefully lifting him off his leg and onto his back. The men helped the doctor position the injured man so she could assess his injuries. Her diaglove on, Julia examined Morgan thoroughly, sealing the few cuts and nicks he acquired during his fall and administering an antibiotic. Before he could awaken, Julia sedated him and reviewed his leg again, distressed by the damage it had sustained. Cameron and Mazatl stood attentively nearby, waiting to help her.

While the doctor attended to her new patient, Mazatl leaned close to Cameron to ask, "What was in the container?"

Cameron grinned as he replied out the corner of his mouth. "Spiders."

Mazatl did a double-take. "Spiders? Seriously?"

"Julia said some grendlers are afraid of them. We ran by a few huge webs. The rain was hanging on them, so they were easy to see."

Mazatl shook his head in disbelief while Cameron laughed. He nodded toward the unconscious liaison. "Probably a good thing Morgan didn't catch it…"

Her assessment complete, Julia called the men's attention back to Morgan, directing both of them to take an end of his leg. With her diaglove humming, she guided them as they wrestled with the limb until she was satisfied. Then they held it still while she applied the splint, wrapping the bindings as tight as she dared. That finished, they rolled him onto the stretcher and headed back to the DuneRail.

ooooooooooooooo

All Morgan knew of the next seventeen hours was Bess' soft voice and the hiss of the sedaderm. When he awoke the next day, he found himself in the med-tent, with Bess sitting beside him holding his hand. As he groggily looked up to her, a smile burst across her face, echoing his own tentative grin of relief. Bess leaned close, cupping his head with her arm as she kissed him. Distantly, Morgan could feel his arm being freed from the bedding and his sleeve slid up. Within seconds, a blissful warmth filled his body, easing the building discomfort he was gradually becoming aware of as he shifted slightly to meet the kiss.

Morgan glanced out the corner of his eye to see the doctor silently settle back down next to Alonzo on the other side of the tent and begin massaging the pilot's arm. He parted their lips as an unsettled feeling swept through him. Glancing at her husband in surprise as they parted, Bess looked across him at the young couple as well, smiling down at him in understanding.

Even though he was still more than a little foggy, a sip of water freed his tongue. "Bess, I'm so glad to see you."

"Shhh, I'm glad to see you, too. Just relax, you need to heal."

"How's Alonzo?"

Bess' eyes darted to the other bed then back to her husband. "He's about the same." Seeing his face cloud with doubt, she added softly, "Julia said it would have happened even if she was here."

Morgan shook his head. "But, she wasn't here. All because I was a clumsy fool."

Bess sat back, her eyes sparking. "Morgan Martin, if you're going to wallow in self-pity I won't have anything to do with it."

Morgan breathed a big sigh. "I'm sorry, Bess."

Julia materialized at his side. "Is everything all right?"

Morgan regarded the doctor earnestly. "Thanks for everything, Julia. I'm sorry you had to come out to get me."

"It's all right, Morgan. It was the least I could do. Do you have any questions about your treatment? Has Bess gone over it with you yet?"

"Umm, no. Is it healed yet?" He was a little distressed at the comfortable numbness which had settled into that extremity.

"Not yet. It was a bad break so it will take a bit more time but your femur should be healed by this time tomorrow. However, you sustained considerable soft tissue injuries, also, which will take a while to heal. I performed surgery last night to reattach your anterior and medial cruciate ligaments—" At Morgan's confused look, she explained, "connective ligaments in your knee. Your ankle also required some attention. I don't quite know how you hit to break your femur, but your entire left leg had damage. You're going to require quite a bit of time to fully recover and we'll start a course of physical therapy as soon as you're ready."

"Therapy?" Morgan gulped, remembering the therapy she had put him through after the DuneRail crash temporarily paralyzed him and knowing it was only a ghost of what she had put Danziger, Yale and, especially, Alonzo through earlier in their travels. Dredging up the nerve to check his leg for himself, he experimentally slid his hand down his elevated limb until his hand brushed against metal. "WHAT?!"

Julia met Bess' eyes momentarily to cede the point before explaining to Morgan, "I had to fixate your femur so it would heal straight. They'll come out tomorrow."

"Is it like Gilbert's?"

"No. No, I only used 4 pins. Just enough to stabilize it. Do you want to see?"

"NO! I… ah… I trust you, Julia."

An alarm sounded next to Alonzo, drawing the doctor back in a rush. She checked him then the protesting monitor before turning off the alarm. Preparing a compress, she assured the Martins, "It's nothing serious. I have the alarms set on very tight parameters. Morgan, you need to relax and allow the bonehealer to work. Please, try to rest."

While Julia devoted her time to Alonzo, Bess tended to her husband. Morgan found it very difficult to stay awake with the bonehealer absorbing so much of his energy for its own use. Before long, he was fast asleep.

ooooooooooooooo

Morgan awoke later that evening, hot and uncomfortable. He threw back the covers as far as he could to try to get some relief from the intense heat while he tried to find a better position for his sore leg. Motioning for him to be quiet, Yale sought his arm and applied a painblock, sitting beside him as the pain dissolved into a mere echo of itself.

"God, I'm roasting. Where's Bess?" he whispered.

"She went to bed in your tent a couple hours ago," the tutor replied quietly. "We didn't have room in here for another cot."

"Why am I so hot? Do I have a fever?"

"No. We have to heat the tent when the temperature drops. Alonzo needs the warmth. Lie back and allow me to get you a cool cloth."

Morgan tried to be patient. His shirt clung to him as did the sheets and his skin felt tacky all over. Morgan glanced quickly over to Alonzo in the darkened tent. The quivering pilot appeared to be staring at the ceiling as he continued to breathe in short, fast rasps. Morgan worriedly wondered how long Alonzo could maintain the energy to keep going that way. Yale paused on his way by to apply some drops into the pilot's eyes before returning as promised with a basin in one hand and a cup and a silver wrapper in the other.

"Would you like a drink and, perhaps, a semolina bar? You slept through dinner," the tutor gently informed him.

Morgan sipped the water gratefully. "Yale, is Alonzo awake?"

"No. He's still unconscious. His eyes are simply open. It is not uncommon for someone in his condition. Julia feels badly that you have to stay here, but doesn't want you to return to your tent at least until your bone heals. After that, we should be able to monitor you in your own bed. Do you need anything?"

"No, I'm—Yale!" Morgan suddenly hissed. "Don't move!"

"What?"

"There's a huge spider over your head! OH MY GOD, THEY'RE EVERYWH—"

Yale's hand clamped over Morgan's mouth before he could utter another sound. "Quiet!" he commanded in a stern undertone. "You'll wake Julia."

"Yale?" Julia was off her cot and halfway across the tent in one fluid movement.

Releasing Morgan's mouth, Yale sat up. "It's all right, Julia. Morgan was startled by the spiders. Alonzo's been quiet all evening."

With a distracted glance in Alonzo's direction, Julia scrutinized Morgan clinically. "How do you feel?" Off his shrug, she waved the diaglove over his leg, watching the small scanner with some satisfaction. "Your femur looks good. We should have you up on crutches by some time tomorrow."

Still eyeing the spiders nervously, Morgan apologized, "I'm sorry I woke you, Julia. I'm kinda hot but I feel ok. Why are there spiders all over the med-tent? They aren't real, are they?"

The tutor chuckled. "No, Morgan, they are not real. The children made them as a bit of a crafts project. Julia has found that some grendlers are afraid of spiders, so we hope to use them as an added deterrent." The tutor settled into his role, "It's actually a sensible aversion considering their worm tunnel travel. If they were unafraid of them, they would run a serious risk of negating the tunnels' polarity much as what happened when our people used them. It was a good project for the children. They needed to feel they could contribute, although it turned into quite a competition as you'll see. We have their spiders throughout camp but, most especially, in and upon the med-tent."

Looking at the dangling spiders again, Morgan noticed they formed slight protective arcs behind both cots just out of the vision of their inhabitants and followed a corridor to the tent flap. If he squinted, the liaison could just make out some additional spiders sitting on the tent itself, their silhouettes dancing with the firelight. Sudden insight flashing, Morgan looked over at the doctor as she rose from checking on the pilot. "Julia? What was in that container Cameron threw to me?"

Julia granted him a tired smile. "Be glad you didn't catch it." Off his alarmed look, she added, "Good night, Morgan. Thank you, Yale. Please wake me if you need me for anything."

ooooooooooooooo

--end Part 15—


	16. Chapter 16

Part 16

ooooooooooooooo

"JULIA!!! Julia, where are you?!"

Morgan jolted awake, biting back a yelp as he jarred his leg. Across the dimly lit med-tent, Julia and Devon were trying to soothe the agitated pilot while they continued to massage his limbs to help maintain circulation. His tossing head only a reflection of the turbulence in his feverish mind, Alonzo continued in his nonsensical monologue punctuated by an occasional coherent outburst.

Seeing Morgan awake out the corner of her eye, Julia busily inquired, "Are you all right, Morgan?"

He nodded, then, realizing the doctor wasn't looking, said, "Yeah, I'm all set."

"This shouldn't go on much longer. I'll be right over as soon as I can."

"Jeez, Julia. Really, I'm fine."

Shifting around cautiously, Morgan leaned on one elbow to watch the women work. He spied Danziger just beyond Alonzo's cot, watching quietly, drawn in by the pilot's outbursts Morgan surmised when he spotted the Mag-Pro cradled in the mechanic's hands. It was still late, the only light outside being the flickering firelight. Yale had apparently gone to bed while Morgan had slept, changing shifts with Devon. An occasional shadow drifted by as the watch made their rounds.

"Be there. Please, be there. Be ok. Should never have left— JULIA!"

The doctor bent low over the pilot. "I'm right here, Alonzo. I'm right here. You found me."

Morgan watched as the doctor bowed her head for a moment in despair without pausing in her ministrations when Alonzo didn't react at all to her presence. Danziger moved to comfort the doctor, then checked himself as she visibly steeled herself and continued her work. Morgan could see the weariness etched on Julia's face, the uncertainty on Devon's as they continued to fight their own as well as Alonzo's demons. As Morgan watched, the pilot slowly wound down, his shouts fading to slurred murmurs. Eventually, his head rolled back a few times before lying still. Devon and Julia continued the treatment, working the toxins out of his limbs while encouraging better blood flow.

Julia stood up, pulling the covers back over Alonzo's legs as she stepped back. Alonzo's skin was so pale, Morgan could see the faint outline from his bindings still etched in his skin as she lightly fluffed the blankets smooth over him. Devon scooted out of the way as the doctor scanned the pilot, studying Julia closely as she scrutinized the readouts.

Julia shook her head forlornly. "His crit is up another point but, otherwise, he's about the same. I was hoping to see more improvement as his blood volume improved, but so far he seems to be getting worse instead. The strain may just be too much for him."

"Is there anything else we can do?"

The doctor brushed her hair back before shaking her head. "We're really doing all we can with what little we have. All we can do is treat him symptomatically. If we could only get this fever to break, I think his chances for recovery would climb remarkably."

"What do you need, Doc?" the mechanic asked as he stepped forward to join the conversation.

"The main issue is that he hasn't been able to stabilize his core temperature. The shock was so extreme. If we had a way to maintain him more closely, perhaps we could break this fever."

Danziger rounded the cot so he could regard the pilot speculatively while devoting Julia his full attention. "So, what do you need?"

"We need to be able to keep his body cool enough to protect his internal organs without chilling him. As much as he needs to be kept cooler than the fever, he needs to be kept warm for the shock."

"So we need to find the balance and try to keep him there."

"Yes, exactly." Julia gathered what she needed and led Danziger to her other patient. "Morgan, please lie back. I need to scan you."

The liaison obediently eased his body down, carefully shifting his leg as Julia began scanning it then thoroughly worked her way up his torso. Morgan watched the doctor with growing trepidation as she continued to scan his chest. "What's wrong? I thought I just hurt my leg."

"Everything's fine, Morgan. I just want to make sure there are no emboli in your bloodstream."

"What?! Is that dangerous?"

"They can be but I don't see any sign of them. With your femoral fracture, I'll want to monitor you closely for the next couple days."

"What are the symptoms if I have one?"

"Shortness of breath, chest—" Julia's eyes narrowed as Morgan's grew wider by the minute. With a forced smile which did nothing to comfort the nervous man, she patted him on the arm as she said, "Maybe we should let me worry about it. If you have any symptoms that concern you, let me know. Otherwise, I've been monitoring you regularly and, up to now, haven't seen any problems. All right?"

Morgan knitted his brows and drew a deep breath in preparation of an argument but was silenced by a stern cautionary frown from the mechanic standing protectively over the doctor's shoulder. Sighing dejectedly, he nodded his agreement.

"Try to rest. Hopefully, Alonzo will be quiet for a while now. I'm hoping to get you into your own tent by tomorrow afternoon."

Morgan looked up at the exhausted doctor and granted her a slight smile of support. "Thanks, Julia. I don't want to be a bother."

"You haven't been a bother, Morgan. Please, don't feel that way. You need to understand that your recovery will take time. By the time Alonzo's leg was healed, he had undergone several weeks of therapy before I found the correct formula for the bonehealer. You have considerable soft tissue injuries the bonehealer vaccine doesn't treat. Those are going to require hard work and patience. Starting later today, we'll be working on getting your leg back to full use. For now, you need to get as much rest as possible, so you're ready when it's time for your first therapy session. If you need anything, someone will be here at all times. OK?"

Off Morgan's nod, Julia checked Alonzo one last time before crawling back into her bed.

ooooooooooooooo

"OooowwwwWWWWW!"

Sighing softly, Julia looked up at her patient from where she knelt next to his dangling legs. She had commandeered the geodesic arch, so she could remain close to the med-tent without possibly disturbing Alonzo, sending the remainder of their group scattering when they heard what she had planned. She noticed someone would occasionally wander by, trying to look busy, but they were otherwise left alone. Having known all day this was coming, Morgan perched nervously on the edge of the table with Bess hovering behind her husband.

"Morgan, I haven't touched it yet."

"Then, why does it hurt so much?"

Julia rested on her heels, her hands on her knees. "I'll give you another painblock as soon as we're done, ok? The last one must be wearing off a bit."

"If this is a bit, I don't want to see a lot. Can't I have one now?"

"I'm afraid I'd prefer not to give you a painblock until afterwards; I need a certain amount of interactivity and feedback to make this effective. Maybe if you watched what I was doing, it wouldn't be as bad. Then you would know what to expect."

Morgan glanced over his shoulder at his uncharacteristically quiet wife before telling the doctor. "I'm sorry, Julia. I can't look at it."

Quickly meeting Bess then Morgan's eyes, Julia looked blankly at his leg. Within the past two days, she had managed to get most of the swelling down and the bruising had mainly faded to light yellows, greens and blues with an occasional angry blue-black jaggedly punctuating the worst of the damage. The pins glistened in the sunlight, having been scrubbed religiously every few hours since their insertion. In comparison to Alonzo's bloody compound fractures from the crash, which he repeatedly complicated with falls, Julia was proud with how well Morgan's leg had progressed in such a short span of time.

"Why can't you look at it? It looks pretty good to me."

"Yeah, well, you're a doctor. You're used to this."

"You're going to have to look some time."

"When the pins are gone, I'll look. Until then, I'd just as well remember it the way it was."

"If you won't look at it, how can I expect you to keep an eye on it when you're in your own tent? I think you're ready to move out of the med-tent, but I can't keep running over there--"

"Bess said she'd watch it." Morgan shrugged slightly until a twinge in his battered back halted him while he exchanged an apologetic grin with his wife. "I just can't look just yet."

"If you're sure—"

"Positive. Aaaaaahhhh! Hey, could you warn me next time? Don't –owwwwwwwWWW!"

While Morgan gripped the table edges, Bess lightly patted his back and kissed the top of his head. "Morgan Honey, it looks like Julia has everything under control. You'll call me when you're done with him?"

"Thank you, Bess. We should be about an hour."

"A whole hour?? But, Bess—OW!"

ooooooooooooooo

Alonzo slept fitfully. He had gradually begun to stabilize but his fever continued unabated. Julia rode out the storm of delirium with him, tending his injuries and cooling his body all while guarding him against chills. While he remained relatively unresponsive, Julia noticed he increasingly reacted to her gentle touch, his restlessness quieting while she worked on him.

Julia scanned Alonzo briefly then rested the cool cloth on his brow as she reviewed the readout. She noted with some satisfaction for the first time it was noticeably lower than the previous reading. Danziger had rigged a cooling mat to help cushion him and keep him cooler under the blankets. The thin rubber mat held a layer of water they replenished regularly with cool river water. With that, the heater and the blankets, Julia had been able to more closely regulate his temperature.

Stepping back to scan his lower body, Julia accidently brushed against the basin sitting next to the cot, sending it splashing to the ground. She watched the water seep into the soil in dismay. As she resumed her scan, she called out, "Danziger?"

He was half in the tent before he replied, "What do you need?"

Julia smiled at the Ops Chief self-consciously. "I spilled my last couple liters of water. Could you please have someone get me some more?"

Danziger visibly relaxed, glancing down at the disappearing puddle as he nodded. "Sure. Cameron's right nearby. I'll ask him to help me bring some over. How's 'Lonz?"

"He's about the same, except his temperature went down a degree."

Danziger's eyebrows rose as he bobbed his head from side to side. "Sounds like a start. I'll take whatever good news you can give me. Lemme get you that water. I'll be right back."

Julia curiously turned back to Alonzo. When she had called out to Danziger, it had almost appeared that he had stilled to listen. She slipped her hand into his, leaning forward so she could study his face. "Alonzo?" She squeezed his hand, hoping for a response. "Do you hear me?"

The pilot's fingers hung limply in her hand. Watching him closely, she saw the briefest squint of one closed eye. Encouraged, she prodded further, "Alonzo, please wake up. Let me know you hear me."

Behind the doctor, Yale held the flap out of the way as Danziger and Cameron struggled into the tent with a large water container. Setting it down, Cameron gave the doctor a friendly smile before trotting back out.

Seeing the doctor so intently leaning over the pilot, Danziger went to her side as Yale and Devon came into the tent to join them. "Everything ok, Doc?"

Julia shook her head resignedly. "I thought he was beginning to come out of it, but he's not responding." She turned back to the pilot. "Alonzo, please wake up."

Julia's three friends watched sympathetically as she desperately encouraged the pilot to awaken.

Danziger pressed his lips together and shook his head. "Maybe you're going about this the wrong way." He leaned close to the pilot to state matter-of-factly, "'Lonz, you need to wake up. There's something wrong with the ship."

Julia looked from the mechanic to the pilot in shock. At Danziger's words, Alonzo's heart rate had jumped, his breath coming in faster, deeper gasps. The pilot's head cast around as he began the climb to consciousness.

Strapping on her diaglove, Julia asked, "What..?"

John watched the pilot's reaction in alarm. "Is he ok? That's all he's talked about since you brought him back." The mechanic could see the barest glint through Alonzo's slitted eyelids.

"Alonzo, do you hear me?"

Alonzo hazily mumbled something softly in reply to the doctor.

"What did he say?" Devon asked tensely, as Julia bent low over Alonzo to murmur some reassurances while smoothing his features with a damp cloth.

Julia looked over her shoulder at her. "I'm not sure."

As the cloth withdrew, he licked his lips briefly. "..mother?"

"We're right here, Alonzo."

"..not there..."

Devon caught his other hand as she asserted, "Yes, Alonzo. We're right here."

His head rolled on the pillow. "No. Not there. Can't feel..." His breaths came faster, his hands clenched.

"Alonzo, try to relax. It's ok." Julia soothed his brow, his cheek then followed the contour of his jaw trying to settle the upset pilot. She didn't need to see her diaglove to know he was fading.

"The ship. Can't feel it."

"I'll get right on it, 'Lonz," Danziger reassured him with a worried glance at Julia.

"Thanks." Alonzo sighed deeply, his eyes closing. "So empty..."

"Empty?" Devon more asked Julia than Alonzo.

"Can't feel them. Not there." Alonzo fell still for a moment before adding faintly, "I don't have dreams…"

Julia caught her breath. The terrians. Berating herself for overlooking the obvious, her mind revisited a conversation she had had with Alonzo several months earlier…

With a snow storm raging outside turning day into night, they had gone to bed early. Snuggled together in her room off the biodome, they had spoken deep into the night all about the terrians and their dreaming. Julia was curious about the dreamplane because her own limited experience with dreaming had occurred in a totally different manner......

_The terrian spirit was dead. _

_Julia looked up from Alonzo's prone body as a hushed whisper swept through the sleeping terrians like a breeze rushing through leaves on a fall day. Something momentous had just happened; even she could feel the change in the air. Yet, Alonzo lay unmoving save an occasional shallow breath. Behind her, the doctor could hear Devon speaking quietly to Danziger where he lay collecting himself. _

_The women had seen the battle between the two men – the pilot and the evil spirit within John Danziger's body. Despite the fact neither understood exactly what was happening, even they had seen the moment Alonzo had wrested the spirit free, leaving John limp on the ground and throwing Alonzo across the cavern. By the time they had reached them, Danziger was regaining consciousness, confusion etched on his face. Alonzo lay motionless, except for his quivering eyelids, his pounding heart. And, then he fell still._

_Julia knelt there, despite all her education, her skill, even her genetic imperative, she was powerless to help her lover. All she could do was call his name again and again and hope he came back to her from the battle safe, intact. Finally, with a catch of his breath and a soft moan, his eyes fluttered and he was back, himself, whole, yet seemingly somehow changed. Vulnerable. Peaceful. He allowed her to hold him then, sank into her arms, leaning his head upon her breast. Julia held Alonzo as Devon helped Danziger up and they came to stand by them, Danziger propped against an outcropping with Devon supporting him._

_Only then did the Elder emerge with two cups of a powerful herb tea for the men. He confirmed the spirit had been destroyed, that the natural balance had been restored. After giving both men enough time to gather their strength, the Elder bundled them up and ensured they were safely installed on the DuneRail. Alonzo dozed much of the ride home, his head pillowed on Julia's shoulder, while the women explained what had happened to the mechanic. Once back to the biodome, Julia brought Alonzo directly to her bed, leaving Danziger in Devon and True's capable hands._

_Alonzo went without a word, all but collapsing into bed when he got there. He had had a long night and an even longer day. Julia drew the covers over him as she sat to watch him and keep him company. She would scan him again later but right now some inexplicable something deep down told her he needed her with him. Scanning would have to wait. Just as he began to drift off, Alonzo looked at her with a depth which caught her off guard. He reached to her face even as his eyes slipped shut._

_Julia opened her eyes in another place... _

_The purest white light streamed from everywhere and nowhere. She glanced around curiously. Where she stood was a featureless void yet brilliant, pure. Her skin tingled. Her hair lifted. Her clothes were gone, yet she did not feel exposed. _

_In the distance, she spotted him. _

_He sat with his back to her, his arms around his knees as he pensively stared off into the luminous void. Afraid to break the silence, Julia approached quietly, coming to stand at his side._

_Alonzo slowly glanced over to the hand lightly resting on his shoulder, his eyes followed by the rest of him rising up to meet her with a pleased grin. "How did you..." He shook his head as they embraced. Alonzo clung to her tightly before reluctantly separating. He reverently held her out to drink in her beauty._

_"Is this the dreamplane?"_

_He looked around as if it were the first time. "Yes, but no, I guess. It's never been anything like this before. How did you get here?"_

_"I'm not sure. I think you brought me by accident." Curiosity got the better of her. "Why are we both naked?"_

_Alonzo smiled broadly. "I don't know, usually when I'm on the dreamplane, I'm not. I wonder if it's because it's just our minds, our souls -- it's all laid out. Nothing to hide."_

_"Like our psyches?"_

_"Yeah. I think so. Whatever the reason, I'm glad you're here." _

_He drew her to him; encircled her in his arms. Resting her hands on his shoulders, Julia rose slightly onto her tiptoes to meet his lips as he bent to kiss her, his hug lifting her to him._

_Speaking around her kiss, Alonzo added, "You have a beautiful psyche." _

_His pulse quickened as he felt her smile. She deepened the kiss before he could say anything more._

_They joined that night, slowly, lovingly, passionately, and many nights after in this most intimate haven. Their souls became familiar with the other's life-force. Their love deepened......_

They lay in her cot that cold winter night, bodies entwined inside a cocoon of warmth, as Alonzo had patiently explained his experiences for hours, struggling to give her a frame of reference.

Finally, he had associated the terrians' presence to the feel of a ship. The slight, ever-present vibration which would rise up the floors and through the body. The constant thrum of the engines which permeated the very air even when at the minimum maintenance required for cold sleep.

Despite the transient nature of his job, like nearly every captain for thousands of years before him, Alonzo felt on some primeval level, that every ship he flew was alive and, as its pilot, he could always sense the life within her. He hated shutting a ship down totally; he'd admitted he always left something running until it was time to disembark. He found comfort in that sensation. Only later, after the terrians had healed him, did he realize it was a comfort he had sought relentlessly his entire adult life for the simple reason that, with all other senses denied him, it was that feel of the ship which had remained with him when his capsule failed, the one thing he had to hold on to through the excruciating cold which kept him sane that terrible time.

The terrians were the same way. He always knew they were there, not because of what they did but because of what they were. There was always a presence in his mind, a comfortable hum which sometimes rose to a murmur or even more. He didn't have to think about them. They were simply always there. When they were silent, it was because they chose to be, but he could still feel them, still sense that comforting presence in the back of his mind. Like the companionable silence between friends.

Within her moment of clarity, Julia realized, in much the same way Alonzo had become accustomed to one particular sleeping position, during his century in cold sleep he had also become open to the thrum of a new species within his mind, settling into the space the ship had always been. When the terrians had healed him, he had let go of the ship, in the process opening himself to what the terrians had to offer. It was a part of who he was. Without it, he was missing a piece of himself.

Her heart ached as she looked at her lover. He had been begging her for help he didn't understand. Now that she had unraveled the puzzle, she didn't know if she could help him regain that missing piece. Gilbert hadn't seemed concerned about the drug's effect but, then again, he feared the terrians and the dreams. Just as she thought they had reached the point they needed to with his medication, despite all he had endured, for his emotional well-being she would have to put him through it all again.

ooooooooooooooo

--end part 16--


	17. Chapter 17

Part 17

ooooooooooooooo

Morgan glumly stared at his feet. He was bored and stressed out with no relief in sight. Bess was busy and had left him to his own devices for the time being. He picked up his VR gear again, then dropped them once more in frustration.

Morgan had always been very interactive when he played in VR; it was something he simply couldn't control even when he wanted to. The children could content themselves for hours while sitting perfectly still but he needed to move along with the action. The problem was, with all this spare time on his hands, he hadn't found many games he could play without wrenching his leg. His favorite, the drums, was totally out of the question. Even when he tried to just play the snare, he couldn't resist tapping along in time.

Café chess bored him to tears and many of the sports programs held no interest whatsoever. He could always amuse himself with the banquet program, but, with the bountiful area they were camped in, he simply wasn't hungry. His spaceship program wasn't too bad until he tried to work the pedals once, halting that program in its tracks, besides when he first became hooked on the scenario he had mercilessly pumped Alonzo for tricks and techniques for that game and, as much as the pilot was reticent to play it with him, it reminded Morgan too much of him.

Every time he saw someone come out of the med-tent, Morgan asked about Alonzo. Bess kept reassuring him Alonzo was holding his own, but Julia always seemed so sad and tired when she came for his therapy sessions. Morgan tried to not compound the doctor's troubles. He couldn't imagine how it would feel to be in the same position as she was. It had nearly killed him when Bess was under the control of the spring flowers, but at least she was still able to walk and speak with him, even if she was single-mindedly driven to follow the pollen's compulsion.

At a loss for what to do to while away his time, Morgan peered out the tent to watch what little of the camp he could see from his limited vantage point. He could see the cookfire, with Bess and Denner moving in and out of view as they prepared the next meal almost as if performing a choreographed dance. Seemingly sensing her husband's scrutiny, Bess glanced up from her pots to meet his gaze. She smiled in reply to his half-wave.

With his leg pounding from being lowered too long, Morgan lay back, gingerly shifting until he found a good position with his leg elevated on a nest of cushions. Checking his chronometer, he sighed as he calculated how many hours it would be until his next therapy session. At this point, he'd almost welcome the distraction. Almost.

A twinge brought his attention back to his leg. Morgan leaned forward to massage the protesting muscle until the spasm faded. The injury had given him a new perspective to Alonzo's first several weeks and he wanted to talk with him about it – for that matter, talk with him about anything, since he was pretty much the only one of their group he could have a simple conversation with without feeling like he was merely being tolerated.

Lying back, he put his hands behind his head to resignedly study the canvas of the tent, idly finding shapes in the kaleidoscope of stains. Eventually, Morgan drifted off to play yet another encore…

ooooooooooooooo

Taking a chance to stretch his legs, Yale aimlessly wandered the med-tent. With only the two of them truly aware of what to watch for as Alonzo's medications were adjusted, Yale and Julia had been monitoring the pilot around the clock. The doctor had finally gone to bed just a short while ago, exhausted.

Returning to his post, the tutor noticed the pilot's breathing occasionally catching mid-breath. Sparing a quick glance towards the doctor as she shifted each time with a seemingly answering mumble in her sleep, he watched closely while Alonzo's head rolled ever so slightly on the pillow. When his eyes slowly opened, Yale leaned forward on his perch. He shushed softly, resting both hands on the pilot's shoulders as he enunciated very carefully, "Alonzo, you must lie still. We're right here. Let us help you."

Alonzo lay motionless beneath his hands.

Assured the pilot wasn't about to move, Yale slid his right hand under the covers to find Alonzo's, gathering the cold hand into his. The tutor could feel Alonzo instinctively gravitate towards the warmth despite his immobility. "Alonzo, are you cold?"

The fingers in his hand tightened imperceptibly, tightening even more when the tutor shifted back to rise for a blanket.

Yale rested his other hand on the pilot's arm. "Allow me to get you a blanket. I will be right back." He smiled reassuringly at the pilot even as he noted that Alonzo's pupils were wide open from the shift in medications, most likely rendering him unable to see much more than shadows in the dim light of the tent. When the hand relented, the tutor quickly grabbed a handful of blankets, setting the pile near the bed, gently spreading two over the pilot and replacing and reviewing the scanner balanced on his torso before reclaiming his hand.

Alonzo's eyes looked over to him blindly, occasionally darting towards where Julia lay asleep. The tutor weighed whether or not to disturb her; The pilot apparently sensed where she was and seemed to be trying to telegraph that to him. Yale knew Julia would want to see him once he awoke but it had taken everything he had to convince her to leave Alonzo before she, herself, collapsed.

Seeing Alonzo's Adam's apple bob reflexively, he asked, "Would you like a drink?"

The hand tightened again as he reached for a drink bottle.

"You must go very slowly," the tutor soothed. "You have been very sick; your throat may be quite sore."

Yale delicately coached Alonzo through the first few painful sips, watching him jump and gasp as though physically struck when the liquid slid over the irritated tissue before trying again. The old cyborg reflected how many Syndrome children he had coached in a similar manner through the past eight years while Alonzo panted from his efforts. A slight shift in Alonzo's weight alerted him a moment before Julia rested a hand on his shoulder.

"How long has he been awake?"

"A few minutes. I was just about to rouse you. He's been somewhat responsive."

Julia rounded the bed to crouch next to the pilot. Alonzo followed her progress, turning his head to face her as he futilely tried to focus his eyes.

"Alonzo, do you hear me?"

Julia was rewarded with a feeble nod of recognition. She reached to feel the heat of fever on his brow, cupping his flushed cheek as he closed his eyes to turn and lean into her caress.

Giving the couple a private moment while he took the luxury of a relaxing stretch, Yale interlaced his fingers behind his head while he arched his back, looking out the tent flap in time to meet Devon's eyes where Danziger had stopped her just short of the tent. Quietly taking his leave of the doctor, he rose to usher their two observers further from the tent. "Let's find a place to sit," he suggested tiredly as he squinted at the late afternoon sun. His fingers fished in his pocket until they found his sunglasses. Having been in the darkened tent for so long, he quickly slipped them on in relief.

Once settled in a tight circle under the geodesic arch, Devon leaned forward to peer curiously towards the med-tent as she asked, "How is he?"

"His body is adjusting well enough to the reduction in narcotics and his blood volume is continuing to improve. We found some emboli in his bloodstream yesterday we've been concerned about but they appear to be breaking up without incident; it will be a few more days before we can be sure. Until then, the slightest movement on his part could trigger a hemorrhage or cardiac arrest. Julia synthesized some TPA and he will be receiving it for the next few days until the emboli completely break down. With all of his recent injuries, finding a safe balance is difficult. Because TPA also dissolves blood clots, he must be monitored constantly."

"He's awake now?"

The tutor smiled kindly at Devon. "Perhaps not so much awake as he's at some level of awareness," he conceded cautiously. "For the time being, he must be kept as quiet as possible. No stress of any sort."

Leaning a hand on his thigh, Danziger looked over his shoulder at the med-tent. "Is there anything can we do for him?"

The tutor set a hand on each of their knees. "Just be patient; other than that, no. Julia and I are monitoring him. He cannot be moved at all at least until his blood count is up a few more points and the anticoagulants have cycled sufficiently out of his system. Once he reaches that point, as long as we can keep his fever down, we may be able to try travelling."

"What are we looking at for a timeframe? I was thinking of taking Cameron for a long range scout. He was out scouting with Mazatl the day Alonzo got hurt so he's familiar with the area just west of us. I thought we might spend our time finding a good route now that we haven't seen the grendler in a couple days. If 'Lonz needs a smooth path, we might as well find one while we're waiting instead of running into any more surprises out on the trail. With just the two of us, we should be able to cover a lot of ground."

"As long as you're careful that would probably be a good idea. That could save us considerable time once we do manage to begin moving again. We're looking at perhaps a week or so for him to stabilize sufficiently. I can check with Julia once she's had a little more rest."

"It looks like you could use some rest, too," Devon noted with concern. "Would you like someone to spell you for a while so you both can get some sleep?"

"I took a brief nap a short while ago. What we're monitoring Alonzo for can be very subtle. As much as fresh eyes would probably be advisable at this point, I'm afraid, if it occurred, Julia and I are the only ones who would understand early enough to effect treatment." Yale glanced at the med-tent thoughtfully. Pursing his lips, he pressed his hands to his knees as he rose. "I should be getting back. Once Alonzo is asleep again, I want Julia to get some rest as well." He peered over his glasses at the mechanic. "John, please be careful. You'll have your gear on at all times, correct? We cannot be left wondering."

With a sheepish glance in Devon's direction, Danziger grudgingly nodded his cooperation to the tutor.

ooooooooooooooo

Briefly taking his eyes from his chosen path, John Danziger glanced out the corner of his eye at his slumbering companion. Cameron had taken the second watch that night and was catching a quick nap now that they were, once again, on their way. The mechanic figured there was no sense in waking Cameron any time soon; with widely spaced trees, sparse undergrowth and few tree falls, the forest in this direction had been surprisingly easy to navigate thus far. When they had called in to camp the evening before, Yale had characterized it as a temperate broadleaf forest, whatever that meant, though the mechanic was sure it would be incorporated into lessons for the children. All Danziger cared about was that even the TransRover would pass through most of it with little effort.

Their first day of scouting had gone smoothly – almost too smoothly, the mechanic reflected. Nothing ever came easy, especially on this planet. He slid his gear down around his neck in irritation as the blocked transmission alert chimed in his ear again. Throughout this region, gear signals continued to be erratic, frustrating consistent communications with camp. Somehow, they had managed to find a good campsite they could call home from, allowing Danziger to report back what they had found and wish his daughter good night.

As much as a small part of him was glad to be out of camp for a while, he hated leaving True, especially with the recent events. He knew she worried even at the best of times and, with so much of camp life revolving around the two injured men, the dangers inherent on this planet were foremost on her mind.

The terrain, while hilly, was more pleasantly undulating in this direction. Not enough to concern him about driving the vehicles through but enough to not be boring. Among what little brush had taken hold were bushes nearly as tall as him which bore clusters of a sweet fruit the most astonishing shade of gold. 'Gold at the end of the rainbow', Cameron had joked when they noticed nearly every shaft of light cutting through the canopy far above them had one of these bushes growing at its base. In reply, Danziger had questioned Cameron's Scottish heritage – pointing out that he had a vague leprechaunish aura about him. The men had feasted on the fruit the evening before. Danziger was glad to see signs of edible plants on their intended route, especially something which would satisfy True's insatiable sweet tooth.

The mechanic drove the DuneRail over the crest of yet another hill. He could see in the distance the ground fell away in a long, smooth swoop before dropping from sight. Through breaks in the foliage, he could barely see additional woods and possibly some plains far beyond. Unsure of what to expect, he approached the possibly steeper section cautiously. Finding a spot where the trees were thinner, he carefully wound his way down the hill, watching for breaks which would give him better visibility.

Finally getting a good view of the nearby terrain, Danziger snatched up his jumpers to look again. "Damn it! Cameron, wake up!" He grabbed the engineer's sleeve to give it a firm shake.

Cameron awoke with a start, fumbling with the Mag-Pro as he sat up. "What?" His eyes cleared to find the jumpers thrust into his hands. "What am I looking for?"

"Down there. You see it?" the mechanic grumbled. He knew their trip had been too easy and he wasn't at all happy to be proven right. "You see it," he answered himself when Cameron swore under his breath.

As far as the men could see in both directions, the forest tumbled downhill to meet a river.

They considered the river silently for a few minutes, each lost in his own thoughts. They knew this moment would eventually arrive. Despite everything else they had endured in their travels, after dealing with the mountains their first winter they had a true appreciation for what was involved in crossing a continent. The few times they had seen large bodies of water, they had been fortunate enough to be able to skirt around them, yet, each time, this subject had been a topic of discussion around the campfire.

"How are we gonna...?" Cameron shook his head in disbelief. "What's this? Maybe two days out of camp?"

"Depending on how well 'Lonz travels, maybe a bit more, but yeah."

"How are we gonna cross it?"

Danziger nodded towards the canal. "Let's drive down and get a closer look. There's no gear reception here anyways and we can scout it out a bit more before we have to report back to camp. It's narrow enough; maybe we can find a crossing." He surveyed the forest surrounding them. "Any chance we could build a bridge?"

The engineer shook his head. "There are plenty of big trees around here, but it's gotta be at least fifty meters across. Even if the river bed is stable enough to work with, we don't have the equipment or the manpower to do it. Definitely not to build something that could support the TransRover. We need to find a different solution."

"I figured it was worth asking," Danziger admitted with a frown. "We have the time. Let's head south and see if it meets the other river, then, if it does, we can head north and try that way."

ooooooooooooooo

Yale attended to his task as he spared a moment to glance once again at the others. Devon, Bess and Denner each had one of Alonzo's limbs in their hands, massaging them towards his torso then back to their tips as they had been doing on a regular rotation for days. The smell of the oils Julia had processed from some local succulents hung in the air, their fragrant aroma making the tutor's nose twitch as the overpowering yet pleasing scent permeated everything it touched. Alonzo's fever had slowly eased over the past two days as he continued to stabilize. While Julia was reluctant to announce him out of the woods, the tutor could readily see the improvement and, with the doctor's increasing willingness to leave him for brief therapy sessions with Morgan, Yale had taken heart in Alonzo's potential for recovery.

The pilot slept restlessly. His moments of awareness were rare events, the lucidity frequently punctuated by feverish undertones. Even the tutor was at a loss with how to deal with him at times; only Julia seemed to truly get through to him. It intrigued the tutor how even the slightest silent touch from the doctor could calm Alonzo. The connection between the two young lovers was like opposing magnets, each gravitating to the other on an unconscious level. Yale hoped Julia was correct in her assumptions that his separation from the dreaming was the root cause of his spiraling withdrawal and that, as he recovered in body, his spirit would also find its way.

Beyond the med-tent, Morgan's protestations grew in decibel once again. As they grew louder still, Yale could feel Alonzo occasionally tense momentarily before relaxing again as the massage continued. When another howl sliced through the tent, Alonzo's arms and legs contracted in resistance as he slowly awoke only to recoil at their ministrations.

"No, William! Don't touch me anymore. Hurts," Alonzo huskily begged as he tried to twist away from the attention only to catch his breath in pain before sinking back into the cot. "No more. Please?"

Julia had explained the prickling sensation Alonzo was likely to be experiencing in his limbs, much like they had all fallen asleep, but also the importance that the therapy be completed if his limbs were to remain viable and the toxins cleared from his system. Thus far, he had slept through these sessions, but Yale noted with an inaudible sigh, he was bound to wake up during one sooner or later and, of course, it had to be one when Julia wasn't there.

The tutor leaned close to Alonzo's ear. "We must do this, Alonzo. I'm sorry. I know it is painful."

His eyes only half-open, Alonzo shook his head stubbornly. "No. Just… Just stop. Julia?"

Morgan wailed outside, the wail starting out low then climbing in pitch.

Alonzo cocked his head. "What was that?" he slurred hoarsely. Feeling the hands all pause in unison to his question, Alonzo opened his eyes further to look for answers. He was frustrated when he noticed no one would meet his gaze. Not seeing the doctor among them, an uneasy feeling began in the pit of his stomach. "Where's Julia?"

"Oowwwww!"

Alonzo apprehensively directed his burning gaze at the tutor. "What was that? Where's Julia?!"

Before the tutor could respond, Bess bent forward to answer soothingly, "She's giving Morgan his therapy session. Alonzo," Bess waited until he focused his red-rimmed eyes on her before continuing, "Julia will be back real soon."

"Soon?" Alonzo whispered.

"Yes, real soon," Bess confirmed with a soft smile.

Alonzo's eyes drifted shut in relief before snapping open again to look at her in shock. "Therapy? Why?"

Bess pursed her lips, then realized the truth was the best approach, before answering, "Morgan broke his leg." Seeing the pilot's eyes grow even wider at the news, she quickly added, "He's all right. He took the bone healer vaccine. The bone is all healed up nice."

Relieved by Bess' reassurances, Alonzo relaxed into the cot, his arms and legs falling limp in their hands once again. Yale brought a bottle to his lips but he didn't have the strength to drink. Somberly noticing the pilot lacked the energy to resist, the tutor half-heartedly nodded to the others to resume the therapy. They continued massaging until well after the pilot had drifted back into unconsciousness.

ooooooooooooooo

Yale strode into the medtent to find the doctor logging records on gear. He waited until she finished before explaining, "Julia, Danziger just called in. We need you to join us in a conference."

The doctor looked askance at him and then to her patient. "Can't I take it here?"

The tutor looked at the sleeping pilot uncertainly. "It might be better to come out to the campfire. We have much to discuss. I have asked Denner to sit with Alonzo; she has all ready been briefed."

Eyeing the tutor curiously, Julia scanned Alonzo while the crewwoman hurried into the tent and settled next to him. She followed Yale out to find the remainder of camp sitting in a circle, waiting for her. Finding a free seat next to Devon, she allowed her eyes to wander the restless group. "What's wrong?"

Devon pressed her lips together and signaled for her to activate her gear. "Danziger ran into an obstacle. OK, John, we're all here."

"Sorry to pull you away from 'Lonz, Doc, but I thought you needed to see this." The mechanic turned his eyepiece away to show a P.O.V. of a river surging along its banks.

"What? I don't understand. Is that this river?"

"I wish it were," Danziger replied somberly. "This one meets up with it. It's coming from the north. We wanted to scout it out a bit and had to find a clear signal to camp anyways, so we followed it south until we could see where it meets the other one. We're about fifteen klicks north of where we started. So far, we haven't found anyplace we could cross it on the vehicles."

"Then how are we--"

"That's what we need to discuss," Yale informed her. "We need to determine the best way of navigating it."

"How far away is it?"

Danziger shook his head. "We hit it pretty much first thing this morning. Where we are right now is probably about forty klicks out of camp, maybe more if we find someplace to ford further north, but so far it doesn't look good. It isn't very wide, but it's wide enough and I don't see it getting any narrower."

"From what you've shown us thus far, it appears to be a committed channel," Yale agreed. "I've reviewed the maps again and see no obvious sign of it – just the appearance of a few ponds. You said it was bordering the forest?"

"Yeah. There's some woods on the other side, too, but what we've seen so far has mainly been a boundary."

"It's narrow enough to have escaped detection. John, have you seen any areas we might be able to navigate? Calmer waters, perhaps?"

"You want us to take a boat across?" Morgan blurted out.

The tutor shrugged. "It may be our only way."

"Well, it's gonna have to be one hell of a boat if you want to get the TransRover on it," Danziger pointed out. "Even empty, it's top heavy. The other vehicles are smaller and have a low center of gravity, but I hate to risk any of them. We passed a small shore a while back. It was too deep to ford but the current didn't seem too strong. Looked like a herd of animals had been there. I think it was a bit broader there."

Yale perked up. "It may be a drinking hole or, perhaps, a migration route... John, could you go back there and record a P.O.V. for me?"

"Yeah, we'll do it as soon as we sign off. What are you thinking?"

"I'll have to review my database; however a ferry system might be the way to go. This is all premature until we get more data. I'd like to see the river myself."

"How about Morgan and Alonzo? We're gonna be delayed here at least a few days if not more. Any chance they could be moved here?"

Devon turned to Julia. "How soon do you think Alonzo can travel?"

The doctor frowned. "I honestly don't know. He's stabilizing but he still cannot be moved. Even with a prolonged stop at the river to recuperate, he's not strong enough for even the few days it will take us to get there." She took a breath to review her options. "His hematocrit needs to come up a few more points and the TPA is nearly cycled out of his system. My best guess would be it should be safe to move him within a week or so at the earliest. I don't want him travelling with the drain in," she cautioned. "And, it would be good to have him eating on his own."

"Is he awake?"

Julia sighed and pursed her lips before answering the mechanic, "Not to any degree."

Danziger's eyes softened. "OK, so we have at least a week to find a ford and get back there."

"Do you have enough provisions?" Yale asked with concern.

Cameron grinned. "There's plenty to eat out here."

"Well, that's a start," Walman commented drily.

Shrugging his agreement, Danziger asked, "Have you seen the grendler at all since we left?"

Devon raised an eyebrow as she quickly glanced around the small circle for confirmation. Receiving only noncommittal shrugs, she answered, "No. Hopefully, it's grown tired of us."

With a quick glance at Devon, Julia leaned forward to ask, "How long do you expect us to be there?"

"Depends on what we find, Doc. Cameron and I'll scout a bit further north – see if we can find anything better. No rush; you let us know when it's time. OK?"

"Stay safe, the both of you," Yale sternly advised.

"You, too," Danziger urged. "Could you put True on for a minute? I'm not sure if we'll have reception when we set camp later."

At Bess' call, True scampered over to speak with her father. After signing off themselves, the adults all concentrated on the fire and each other as they contemplated the situation.

"I don't suppose that TransRover comes with pontoons..," Morgan commented glumly.

"I'm sure Zero did at one time," Baines offered with a roll of his eyes at the robot stationed nearby.

"Actually, sir, I am water resistant to fifty meters."

Walman shook his head at the commtech and robot in exasperation. "So, realistically, how do you figure we can cross it, Yale?"

"According to my research, there was a way they used to do it on Earth which might be the method best suited to our limited resources. A ferry system -- actually quite simple in design." Resting his elbows on his knees, Yale clasped his hands together, leaning his chin on them. "A cable or two is extended between the two shores with a small boat attached so as to ride freely along them. A third cable is then fixed to the boat and used to pull it across each way." He looked at the dubious looks and smiled. "It will not be easy, but it has been done for thousands of years back on Earth."

"How about the TransRover, though?" Magus asked. "Can we move something that big?"

The tutor nodded. "Of course. Much larger things than that have been moved by this system. We will need a large enough boat with sufficient stability, but it can be done."

Walman shook his head. "I don't think we have that much cable and, what we do have, we would have to leave behind."

"Maybe there's something else we could use?" the tutor suggested.

A hint of memory tugged at Devon. "How about vines? Some of the vines are as strong as biocord. If we could find long enough lengths, we could use those instead."

"That might be a good solution," Yale conceded. "Is there any chance we could find some?"

"There were a couple thickets north of here that were pretty much impassable. They were just a tangle of vines," Baines offered. "I think I could find them again."

Mazatl added, "I remember some trees with vines around them near one of the grendler stashes, also."

Heartened that his plan was coming together, Yale mindfully reined in his enthusiasm. "Why don't we see what we can collect? We'll need to ensure the vines can support the stress. Morgan, perhaps you could work with me to prepare a presentation in VR, so everyone can visualize the plan?"

The liaison perked up at the suggestion. The prospect of being able to do something –anything, really, but especially something useful came as a relief. Morgan grinned. "Sure! Let me know when you want to start!"

Yale chuckled at Morgan's eagerness. "Once I have a thorough P.O.V. from John, we can get started."

ooooooooooooooo

end Part 17


	18. Chapter 18

Part 18

ooooooooooooooo

Julia reviewed her logs carefully, making sure she knew exactly where she had left off. With Alonzo resting quietly, she had taken the opportunity to catch up on her records. Even though she was perfectly able to monitor the pilot behind her by the faint wheeze in his breathing, she still occasionally spared a glance over her shoulder to gauge how he was doing between scans.

Cameron and Danziger were four days out of camp with still no real sign of a crossing. Earlier that day, Morgan had excitedly given Julia a preview of his VR river crossing scenario during his therapy session. Julia was impressed by the simple technique for ferrying them all across, but alarmed when the boat transporting her dumped her into the river. She emerged from VR to find Morgan shrinking in embarrassment.

"It's just a little glitch," he had explained, much to her consternation.

"I hope that's all it is," she had stressed as she steered him back to his exercises.

"Julia?"

The doctor turned from her workbench to see Alonzo watching her. Setting her stylus aside, she went to his side. "How are you feeling?"

Shifting carefully in place, he grimaced unhappily. She noticed with some satisfaction his eyes, though bright with pain, were clear, focused. His forehead was cool.

"Are you comfortable? I can call someone to help me move you, if you want."

"No. No help."

To be honest, he was glad they were alone. The few visits he remembered were strained, uncomfortable. His friends seemed nervous to be near him, like he was made of glass. Despite all the time he spent asleep, he had noticed with some alarm early on that one sound from him would halt the entire convoy and often set them scurrying to set up camp and now, with his injuries from the grendler attack, their increased cautiousness with him had become more than he had the energy to deal with. Sleep had become as much a sanctuary from the awkwardness as the discomfort. Julia made him feel safe.

"Julia? I need something -- some of Gilbert's medicine."

"I know. I'm afraid it's not time yet."

"How much longer?"

Julia paused, hesitant to give him the news. "A little over an hour," she admitted, watching him closely.

He closed his eyes and turned his head away from her in despair.

The doctor knew she was treading on dangerous ground putting him through this additional stress but knew, either way, he was dealing with more than he likely could handle and, at least, the medication was something she could control to a degree. Despite trying to reduce the dosage slowly, she had still seen the withdrawal symptoms develop over the course of the past several days, many of them overlapping the shock he was all ready contending with. Fortunately, Alonzo had mainly remained unconscious so, while it was physiologically taxing and required that she be even more mindful with his supportive care, he had remained largely unaware of it. She just hoped she'd find the balance sooner than later.

Julia rested her hand on his arm as she leaned closer. "Alonzo?" She watched worriedly as he lay before her, thinking, his dimples deepening as he sorted through his feelings.

He rolled his head toward her to earnestly meet her gaze. "I don't think I can wait that long."

"Alonzo, I've reduced the dosage again to allow you to dream. You do want to dream, don't you?" Julia held her breath as Alonzo considered his options, her heart sinking at the obvious difficulty he was having.

Finally, he admitted softly, "I miss them."

Julia smoothed the stray lock of hair that had curled over his forehead. "I know. Have you started to dream yet?"

The pilot shook his head unhappily.

"Can you feel them?" she asked hopefully.

Nervously chewing on his lower lip, Alonzo turned his attention inward, seeking an indefinable 'something' Julia knew she'd never fully understand. "Yeah," he breathed in relief. He blinked, then looked up at her. "They're there. Can't quite reach them yet."

Relieved at the news, she smiled. It was bad enough she didn't understand the mechanics of the dreamplane, dealing with something which interrupted the pilot's ability to reach it had left her unsure if the drug would have lasting, long-term effects and how she could otherwise remedy it. All Julia knew at this point was, in some corner of his psyche, Alonzo was tied to the terrians and the planet in ways she couldn't ever hope to totally comprehend.

"They've been waiting for your return," she informed him, her eyes softening.

"They have? What makes you think that?"

"Gilbert told me." She added with a secret smile, "They were driving him crazy asking about you."

At first Gilbert's mutterings about Alonzo had alarmed Julia, but gradually she had realized what was happening behind his quivering eyelids. It turned out, at times, the man talked incessantly while on the dreamplane, giving Julia a good idea what the visits were about. It was all she had to hold onto then; that and the understanding from Alonzo that it was impossible to lie on the dreamplane. She couldn't know what Rogers and the rest of his band would do, but, during his visits with the terrians, Gilbert had been insistent that Alonzo would return.

The pilot absorbed the news thoughtfully. "How soon do you think it will be before I can dream again?"

Julia shrugged. "I honestly don't know. There's so much about this drug I don't know and I've never totally understood the dreaming." She smiled at him. "I'm just glad you're getting better."

Alonzo gripped the edges of the cot to feebly push his body straighter. "I'm not feeling better right now," he cautioned gently.

"Once we get you stabilized at this lower dosage, you should feel much better."

"That's what you said last time." He caught his breath. As much as it was the truth, as soon as he said it, he regretted it when he saw the pain flicker across Julia's face. Desperately gathering what little strength he had, he reached for her then, hoping he hadn't shattered the one thing which made his life truly meaningful. His fears were short-lived, however, when she met him halfway, catching the lifeline he extended. Looking up to sincerely meet her eyes, Alonzo leaned into her palm as she traced his jaw with her free hand. "Julia, I'm sorry. I just—"

"It's okay. I'm sorry, too." Julia smiled as she remembered an earlier time. An earlier apology.

Remembering as well, Alonzo grinned back at her, relieved his apology was so readily accepted; that, despite all the events which had occurred, everything was all right between the two of them. "You were right, you know. I did feel better, before…" he paused. No explanation was needed. "I can wait," he asserted gamely as he met her gaze intently.

Julia allowed herself a moment to fall into his warm brown eyes and bask in the emotions she found there. Shaking herself out of her reverie to attend to the task at hand, she emphasized, "It's very important you lie still. You need to allow me to do the work. Okay?" She waited until a look of cooperative resignation spread across his face. Scooting even closer, she asked, "Do you think you could eat something? Some broth?"

Graying, Alonzo shook his head carefully.

"A drink?"

With a sigh, the pilot nodded slightly, parting his lips to accept the offered water bottle. He recoiled in surprise when the fluid came into contact with his tongue. "What--?" he gurgled around it.

"It's an electrolyte formula. You can't have plain water yet. Do you want some?"

With a nod, Alonzo tried again. He gagged a bit when the fluid slipped down his throat, his hand rising in alarm as he began to choke. He allowed the doctor to roll him onto his side to keep him from aspirating the liquid then, tightly gripping the side of the cot, he coughed his throat clear before slowly sinking back into the bed with her assistance. He panted as the brown spots which had formed when he started to choke continued to crowd his vision. Closing his eyes against them, they gradually dissipated while the diaglove hummed over him.

"Are you sure you don't want me to get some help? I don't want to hurt you." Julia hovered directly over him, concern creasing her features.

"Yeah. I'm sure," he asserted stubbornly, wincing as he arched his back into a better position. Settling slightly, he asked, "Can we try that drink again?"

"Are you very thirsty?" Off his nod, she explained, "The anemia can cause that. I've been keeping you hydrated but you may experience unusual thirst until your blood volume catches up. Here. Go slow. Let me help you." As Julia helped, Alonzo drank carefully, draining first one then a second bottle before she cut him off. "If you want anything else, I'm afraid it will have to be broth."

"I don't think I can handle that."

"Maybe something a little more solid?"

He shook his head determinedly, then stopped to swallow firmly with a gasp. "No. I can't… Sorry." His eyes rolled slightly before he blinked them back to look at her, his exhaustion becoming more evident by the minute.

Julia smoothed the blankets across his chest. "Are you warm enough?"

He closed his eyes to nod slightly, his eyes remaining closed before, with a squint, he forced them open once more. Seeing this, Julia leaned forward, softly shushing him before kissing him lightly on the forehead. Alonzo's breaths rapidly slowed under her hand. Sitting back, Julia was glad to see the pilot had fallen fast asleep.

ooooooooooooooo

Cameron casually leaned against the DuneRail, watching Danziger grumpily stomp along the river's edge. He shifted his feet again in the spongy muck of the forest floor while he waited. The past four days had presented the same basic river view, frustrating the men in their search. John Danziger's mood had darkened with each passing day as their options dissolved in the rushing river water. Back at camp, Devon and Yale had pored over the maps, looking for the river's origin. After tracking backwards from the forest, they had concluded its source was likely in the distant mountains. Going around the river would take months at a minimum; they had to find a way across one way or another.

"I can't see much upriver. It bends a bit to the right," Danziger grumbled as he headed for the driver's seat. "Let's go."

Cameron motioned to the vehicle's sinking tires. "Are you sure you want to drive any further?"

"What?! It didn't seem that soft when I parked it."

"It gets even worse north of here. There's some standing water further up." The engineer reported as he nodded in that direction. "I checked it out while you were down by the river. Maybe we should hike out a bit and see if it improves?"

Pressing his lips together, John looked in the indicated direction then back to Cameron. Running his hand through his unruly hair, he regarded the tires, all ready embedded a few inches into the ground, for several long minutes. Shaking his head, he clambered into the front seat. "Let's get this vehicle on more solid ground first. Do you think we should hike along the river or try to swing wide on the 'Rail?"

"You said it hooks to the right?"

"Yeah."

Cameron shrugged. "We might as well see if we can drive around. Maybe this area is just a little bit lower or more porous."

With a nod, John activated the vehicle and slowly backed it out of the mire. While Cameron hopped out to check the ground every so often, they tried to work their way around the inland swamp. Several hours later, as it continued to expand and the men saw greater spaces of open water between the trees far into the distance, they turned back, discouraged.

Realizing their options had just evaporated, they carefully circled back to the river, intently following the bank as closely as possible. At times, the bank was too heavily wooded to stay close and they had to work their way around, other times, the forest floor gently sloped down into the water. It was these spots which were even more closely examined then, ultimately, discarded one by one.

Late in the day, as the sky lit into a brilliant crimson backdrop, the men resigned themselves to, once again, establish camp for the night. With no gear signal in the area, they set about erecting the tent and collecting wood. Nearby, the river could be heard rushing over narrow rapids before plunging a few meters over a small waterfall a short way downstream.

Wandering to the riverbank to collect water while Cameron prepared their rations, John warily glanced around. They had seen what they believed to be predators lying on the bank a few times that day and had given them a wide berth, using the jumpers to ensure they didn't miss a potential crossing. Assured he didn't see anything amiss, John lowered first one then the other canteen into the water, being sure to not get any debris in them as the cold water chased around his hand.

Distractedly looking across to the other side, he could see the rocky opposite shore gently rise up out of the water. Intrigued, John laid the canteens out of the way. He pensively paced the shore, gauging the rocky riverbed in between. The mechanic examined the river carefully, uncertain with the clarity of the water just how deep it truly was. Amidst the lengthening shadows, the rocks had taken on a blood red hue as the sun marched even lower in the sky. The water surged past him in its narrow channel. Where it rushed over and through the rocks, pink foam bubbled before snaking past in strings and clumps.

Taking off his boots and socks, John stepped into the frigid water to take better measure of the river. He sucked a breath in through his teeth as his feet went numb even as they were nearly swept out from underneath him in the strong current. Windmilling his arms for balance, he struggled to remain standing as the water tugged at him even as his feet slipped and slid on the slick rocks. Stubbornly, he stumbled further into the river, fighting against the suction. The medium which carved landmasses made short work of John Danziger, dumping him unceremoniously before dragging him along the slippery riverbed. Swearing lustily, the mechanic flipped over to brace against the current with his feet. Finally able to stand, he grabbed whatever his hands came in contact with to help pull him along as he struggled back onto the shore. With a scowl at the unyielding water, he grabbed the canteens and raced back to the DuneRail to grab the jumpers and a scanner.

"What's up?" Cameron asked as he rose from tending the fire at the sight of a sopping wet and very intent John Danziger storming through camp.

"Come with me, I may have just found our ford." Danziger led the way back to the riverbank and raised the jumpers to his eyes. He speculatively examined the river itself, then the opposing shore while Cameron tried to get a read on the scanner. "Get anything?"

"I dunno. Looks like a shale bed with bedrock underneath. It should be solid enough for the 'Rover. It's gotta be about two meters deep at the deepest, though – way too deep for the smaller vehicles and pretty much at the top limit for the 'Rover." Seeing the set of Danziger's jaw as he looked over his shoulder at the trees surrounding them, Cameron cautioned, "Before you even ask, there's no way we're building a bridge in that current."

John looked at him in surprise before conceding, "I know it. I couldn't make it out much more than a meter before it was impossible to move. We'll have to mark this spot. Maybe we can run the TransRover across here. I don't think we should get much closer to the waterfall; the rocks are pretty slick, so we should leave ourselves a decent buffer. Either way we do it, I think the 'Rover's the vehicle we have to worry about and it's the one vehicle we absolutely can't afford to lose. Once we can get ahold of camp tomorrow, we'll let them know what we found."

ooooooooooooooo

"Julia?"

Yale's boots could be seen in the open tent flap, Devon's slightly behind them.

"Come in," the doctor replied softly.

Her two assistants entered silently with cautious glances at the sleeping pilot.

"It's ok, I just medicated him. He should sleep through the procedure. I'm looking forward to getting it out."

Devon released a breath she didn't realize she was holding. As much as she had helped the doctor in the past, had readily drawn a rotation with Alonzo and even performed emergency surgery on Danziger when they had encountered the Z.E.D., it wasn't something she was completely comfortable doing. However, with Bess having her hands more than full with Morgan's recuperation and Baines busy with extra duties while the two men were away on scout, she had been pressed into service.

Julia rounded the bed with a small tray covered with her equipment. While she finalized her preparations, she asked, "Any word from Danziger?"

"No," Devon replied with a sigh. "Nothing last night and again this morning. We're hoping it's just ground interference. Hopefully, he'll call as soon as he gets a signal."

"Everything was going well when he last checked in," Yale reminded her. He glanced uncomfortably at the women as they both shifted their gazes to the pilot. Knowing they were all thinking much the same thing, he reassured them, "He will call in soon. He knows we will worry."

As soon as the doctor was ready, Devon helped Julia and Yale carefully roll Alonzo onto his stomach and watched the doctor remove the bandages covering his drain. Devon hadn't seen the drain until now; the tube jutted slightly out of his back at an obtuse angle with fine, jagged scars radiating away from its base until the point where they had started to fade into the surrounding skin.

With Yale holding the light, Julia attached a clamp to the drain with one hand while cutting the synthetic stitches holding it in place with the diaglove. Devon stood off to one side, ready to hand the doctor whatever she needed.

"He's developed quite a few adhesions," Julia noted aloud as she worked to free the drain from the skin which had attached itself to it.

Suddenly a wail sounded across camp followed by another. Yale looked beyond the doctor towards the tent flap as the pound of running footsteps grew louder.

"Julia! Come quick! Morgan fell!"

Julia's head snapped up as Bess thrust the flap aside and ran into the med-tent. Grabbing a sterile drape from Devon's hands, she quickly covered the drain. "Bess, I can't-- Can you bring him here?"

"I'm sorry! I tried, but I couldn't get him up! He's in a lot of pain!"

"BEeeeessssss!"

Bess looked anxiously over her shoulder before turning back to the doctor as she urgently bounced on the balls of her feet.

"Can't someone help you?"

"The men just left to get water and Denner tried to help but we couldn't get him up. Every time we try to move him, he starts screaming. I'm afraid we're gonna hurt him."

With a reluctant glance at the resistant drain, Julia sighed in resignation. "This is going to take longer than I expected. Yale, please watch him. I'll go check on Morgan and be right back." Grabbing her kit, she raced from the med-tent behind Bess.

Morgan lay in a heap behind the Martin's tent, moaning in pain. With Magus standing with her Mag-Pro at the ready over him, Denner crouched next to Morgan, as he gripped a tent rope, his leg levered between two stakes. When the doctor arrived, the crewwoman quickly rose to allow her access to her patient.

With her thoughts still back in the med-tent, Julia immediately began scanning. "Morgan, what happened? What were you doing out here? I told you to stay in bed."

"I had to…" Morgan looked shyly at Denner and Magus before whispering to the doctor, "you know… ..visit the woods?"

Julia's eyebrow quirked as she looked at the liaison. Administering a painblock, she shook her head at him. "Why didn't you ask for help?"

"Bess was busy fixing dinner and my gear slid under the tent, so I went to get it on my way by. That's when I fell." He waved the gear with his free hand, then, with an apologetic look, slid it onto his head.

"Is he all right?" Bess stood over Morgan, her hands fluttering in front of her.

"He twisted it but there's no damage to the ligaments or bones. Let me just seal this…"

The diaglove hummed as Julia carefully fused the deep slice on Morgan's hip where he had struck one of the tent stakes.

Satisfied with her work, Julia offered, "Here, Morgan, let me help you up."

With Bess on his other side, Julia disentangled Morgan from the tent's rigging and hauled him to his feet. Denner swiftly dove to retrieve the crutches and handed them to him as he balanced on one foot. Grabbing the crutches eagerly, Morgan tottered precariously before Julia steadied him.

"Let's get you back to bed."

Morgan drew up short, almost tumbling when Julia continued forward with her hand gripping his upper arm. She turned, questioningly.

"I still have to…"

Julia glanced around. Magus and Denner had already disappeared to tend to their duties. Only Bess still stood attentively next to her.

The doctor looked askance at him. "Can't Bess help you?"

Morgan looked at his wife then the doctor with an open plea in his eyes. He swayed slightly on the crutches, still out of sorts from his fall.

Julia brushed her hair back. "Do it quickly, but be careful. I need to get back to Alonzo."

"Thanks, Julia. I'll be fast. Can we go over here?" With a woman on each arm, he hobbled to the bush cautiously. Reaching it, he looked down at the doctor. "Do you mind… ..uh…"

"Morgan, I'm your doctor."

"I just can't…"

Without releasing his arm, Julia sighed and looked away. Once Morgan was finished, she saw him to bed with a stern admonition and final instructions to Bess before racing back to the med-tent.

Julia was relieved to find that Alonzo still slept deeply. Picking up where she left off, she bent back to her task. With the drain having been in longer than she had initially anticipated, Alonzo's tissue had grown around it, complicating its removal. The doctor carefully worked her way down the drain, freeing it as she went. As she cut into a particularly irritated area, Alonzo flinched with a hiccupped sigh, causing her to draw back in alarm to watch him closely.

"Julia?"

"Is he waking?"

Yale crouched low to scrutinize the pilot where he slept. "He doesn't appear to be."

"Ok, we have to hurry, though. We lost a lot of time while I was out with Morgan. The medication may be starting to wear off and I must have hit a nerve. A sedative may depress his system too much, so I'd like to try to finish this without one. Unfortunately, we're too far along now to abort the procedure." Julia nodded towards the foot of the bed. "Devon, why don't you come up next to me; I need you both to hang onto him. We need to keep him still while I do this. His blood volume is still low enough that too much movement could trigger a heart attack. If I wasn't so worried about the drain causing complications, I'd be tempted to leave it in longer."

As Devon hesitantly positioned herself out of the doctor's way yet across from the tutor, Julia considered the object of her concern. While the drain initially helped Alonzo's recovery from the grendler attack, it had become a liability; constantly turning him to tend to it was unacceptable and not cleaning it the several times a day it demanded left him open to infection, so there was no question that it had to come out, especially if they were going to leave the safety of camp and begin travelling again.

Squinting, Julia concentrated on separating tissue from the drain as quickly and neatly as possible, sealing blood vessels as she went and manipulating the clamp constantly in the hopes that the drain would work free. Cutting through an especially thickened area, Alonzo suddenly bucked back into her, opening an artery in the process. Blood sprayed in a fine jet across Julia's front as the pilot twisted under her hands.

"He's waking up!"

"Hold onto him tighter, I'm not done yet! We can't afford to lose this blood." Julia frantically tried to get the diaglove's third finger lined up to stem the blood flow as Alonzo began to fight in earnest. "Alonzo, it's me, Julia! Please hold still! Devon, I need the sedaderm!"

"He knocked it down, I can't find it!" Devon protested. She anxiously searched the floor as she clung to the pilot.

"nooooo… please… no more! Stop!" Alonzo begged gutturally as he became increasingly aware of the hands holding him down. Through the searing pain, he rapidly became aware of the cold draft across his bare back; his nose tingled with the now familiar smell of his own burning flesh. Alonzo struggled to twist away from the hand grabbing at the small of his back. Through the cobwebs in his mind, memories flooded back as terror set in. "ROGERS, NO!"

"Hold him still! I need to get this!"

The hands clamped tighter onto him, holding him firm, as the unrelenting lances of fire continued to burn a hole in his back. His face grinding against the bedding, he could feel the invading presence, madly twisting, turning, and pulling at him before resiliently snapping back into place, little bits of flesh separating as it went while rivulets of blood slipped down his sides. Alonzo felt the tube abruptly tear loose, the pressure on his back build. Horrified, he braced himself for what he knew was coming next. With the unintelligible voices echoing beneath the roaring in his ears, he began to hyperventilate.

Julia desperately cut the drain loose from Alonzo's resisting body as the diaglove chirruped its warnings at her. She didn't need the device to know that Alonzo's vitals had skyrocketed, that she had to hurry before the stress or additional blood loss took its toll. As the drain came free in her hand, she grabbed some bandages and pressed as hard as she could on the open wound as precious blood streamed from it. Panic stricken, Alonzo gasped for air while he trembled uncontrollably underneath her hands. Julia could feel him suddenly stiffen against the shaking, his limbs all braced. The doctor rolled the bandages out of the way for a moment to gauge the situation before quickly replacing them when the traumatized pilot abruptly reared against her.

As suddenly as he had risen, Alonzo froze, drew a short, arrested breath and collapsed into the cot, exhaling slowly as he sank into it, then lay unmoving.

"Oh my god!"

Not relieving the pressure on the bandages, Julia apprehensively bent to scan him while Yale and Devon waited anxiously. The doctor waved the diaglove over the pilot, watching in alarm as the readings rapidly plunged from high in the red zone towards the bottom of the readout. Just then, Alonzo took a long breath and exhaled with a reedy sigh. Flashing a harried glance at him, Julia urgently scrutinized the diaglove before rocking back onto her heels for a moment to look at the pilot in astonishment.

Breathlessly, Devon asked, "Julia, what is it?"

The doctor shook her head. "He's dreaming…"

ooooooooooooooo

end Part 18


	19. Chapter 19

Part 19

ooooooooooooooo

"Adair, you ok?" John watched her with concern as she focused again on him.

Appreciating her friend's obvious concern and glad for the chance to vent, Devon admitted, "Yes. I'm fine. It's been a long morning."

The mechanic's call had come as Devon exited the med-tent, not allowing her to clear her mind from one crisis before being forced to face another. Back on the stations, multitasking multiple crises had always come easily, but they usually weren't life or death matters, nor did they typically involve people who mattered so much to her. She paced over to the geodesic arch to limit any distractions while John detailed his progress.

"Everything all right there? Is True being good?"

"She's been excellent. She missed you last night when you didn't call." Seeing Danziger's daughter out the corner of her eye, Devon gestured toward her gear, sending the young girl scrambling.

"Yeah. I hope no one worried too much. We just finally hit a decent transmission spot a little while ago. So what's up?"

Devon crossed her arms. "We removed Alonzo's drain this morning and Morgan fell…" She smiled in resignation at the mechanic before reiterating, "It's been one thing after the other but everything's fine now."

"How's 'Lonz doing?"

"He gave us a scare during his procedure but came through it ok. He started dreaming, finally, so Julia thinks she can level out the medication, which she said should help considerably. Yale is still busy in the med-tent; he should be free in a little while if you want to wait."

"No. Don't bother. The transmissions are still tricky and we need to get a move on. You can fill him in later. How about Morgan?"

"Julia thinks he's fine – just a little shaken up. So, how are things going?"

"I think we found our ford. It's too deep for anything but the 'Rover but I think it's our best bet. Everything else will have to be ferried over by boat unless we find something better today. Unless something ties us up, we should be back where we started well before nightfall."

"There's no chance we could cross at the ford?"

"No way. The current is really strong and there's a waterfall a short ways downriver. The ford is more part of the same shelf the waterfall's on. It's just too dangerous."

"But, wouldn't that be dangerous for the 'Rover as well?"

"I think it's big enough to handle it and there's room for error, just not enough to be playing with boats."

"I hate to split the group up—"

"Yeah, I know it. But, I think this is our only way. The TransRover's too important to lose if a boat tips. I'd rather take the chance of it bogging down trying to drive across. At least in the shallow water, we'd have half a chance to pull it clear with the winch."

Devon gazed at the mechanic for a long moment before nodding her agreement. "I think you're right." She sighed. "If that seems the safer way, we need to do it. I can't imagine what we would do if we lost that vehicle…"

"Well, why don't you get True for me and then we can get going. We'll keep an eye out for better options and will head back as soon as we're done. I figure we should be back sometime late tomorrow."

"John, be careful."

He snorted his answer and granted her a reassuring half-smile. "You too, Adair. Once we get past this interference, we'll be back in touch."

Just within her peripheral vision, Devon could see True eagerly fidgeting with her gear. She smiled and nodded to her as she signed off with her father. Glancing around camp, Devon took a few cleansing breaths as she watched her friends. It amazed her how basic camp activities seemed so familiar to her now and gave her such simple comfort. While True chattered with her father, Devon wandered off to find Uly.

ooooooooooooooo

Julia pensively watched Alonzo sleep. Since he began dreaming the previous morning, he had yet to awaken. The pilot twitched constantly, in direct contrast to his impossibly long, deep breaths. His tremors vaguely reminded Julia of Pegasus' manner of ridding himself of insects. The twitches rippled Alonzo's muscles and elicited the occasional gasp without altering his readings whatsoever. By force of habit, she looked at her diaglove again, seeing the same readings she had seen since his breakthrough onto the dreamplane. Whether Alonzo had been forced over the threshold by the stress the previous day or the terrians had wrested him to the safety of the dreamplane, the doctor probably would never know. All she knew was, since he had begun to dream, he had stabilized considerably.

With a rustle, Yale entered the med-tent with a smile and snack for the young doctor. "I thought you might appreciate some fruit. The men found an orchard of these nearby while they were out looking for suitable vines. How is Alonzo?"

"He's the same -- stable and still dreaming." Slipping off the diaglove, Julia accepted the fruit. She curiously eyed the perfectly round golden orb which filled her hand. "It's edible?"

"I believe these are the fruit John and Cameron have been eating. They should be back by evening, so I'll check with them then. I performed a basic scan of them myself with the children's help," the tutor offered. "I felt you were busy enough and they were due for another demonstration of the usefulness of science. Food always seems to get their attention," he added with a chuckle before cautioning her, "You must peel it. The peel is edible but it's also very bitter. The fruit itself is quite sweet." Yale turned his attention to the sleeping pilot, regarding him quietly while the doctor sampled her snack. Spying a corner of a sheet brushing the ground, the cyborg bent low to tuck it in only to draw up short when he saw it was tied in a loop to the bed. Noticing another knot further along the cot, he curiously turned to the doctor. "What--?"

"I wanted to keep him from falling out of bed or injuring himself when he awakens without giving him too much of a sensation of being restrained. He seems to be experiencing some sort of enhanced activated sleep. He hasn't stopped since he started dreaming."

"This is not typical?"

"He's occasionally active when he dreams, but nowhere near this level. It's as if..." Julia paused, searching for the best explanation. "The terrians aren't simply stabilizing him, they're inducing muscle spasms to aid in his recovery."

The tutor cocked his head to intently consider the doctor's conclusions and the ramifications of them. "That's fascinating. Exactly in what way do you feel they are helping him?"

"Well, his muscles have been working nonstop and, as a by-product, his pituitary gland and hypothalamus have been producing endorphins at an amazing rate. Endorphins have long been known to be a natural fever reducer and can also lead to reduction of pain and even feelings of euphoria."

Absorbed by the doctor's explanation, Yale rested his chin on his thumb, pressing his index finger to his lips as he nodded readily. "All things he could benefit from."

"Yes. In addition, the muscle activation itself is helping resolve the atrophy he's experiencing and encouraging better blood flow to his extremities, which is why I've reduced his therapy schedule."

The tutor puckered out his lower lip. Fascinated, he watched Alonzo's brows knit an unsteady beat as the blankets quivered in frequently subtle fits and starts with an occasionally more forceful tremor. Yale could see where Alonzo's hands were by the paired bunching where his hands constantly kneaded and pulled, his feet flexed. The tutor's attention was drawn to the doctor as she rose.

"Thanks for the fruit, Yale; it was delicious. I'd like to analyze them some more when I have a chance." She checked her chronometer. "I guess I'd better get to Morgan's therapy session. Thanks for watching Alonzo."

Yale chuckled. "Is Morgan aware Alonzo's therapy has been reduced?"

"I imagine Bess has told him." Julia shrugged her bag over her shoulder with a rueful smile. "I'll probably hear about it today, though I wonder which would be his first choice: therapy with me or dreaming with the terrians."

Yale shook his head in amusement, paused, then, knitting his brows, he looked up at the doctor. "Perhaps it is not so far-fetched." Off the doctor's intrigued expression, he continued, "Allow me to do a little research. There may be a way of replicating the benefits."

ooooooooooooooo

Morgan looked dubiously at the device in his hands. "So, you wanna run this one by me again?"

Shooting Danziger a harried glance, Julia explained, "It's an Electro Myostimulation Unit. We'll attach the electrodes to your leg and it will stimulate your muscles to contract in a set pattern, much as the dreaming is activating Alonzo's muscles and helping them heal."

"Except, he isn't being hooked up to a medieval torture device," Morgan added stubbornly.

"It isn't a torture device," Julia protested while silencing Danziger's threat with a warning glare. "EMS therapy was late twentieth and twenty-first century technology until the units became obsolete."

"So, I was off a few centuries." Morgan turned the unit over in his hands. "If we use this, do I still need therapy?"

"Yes. It isn't a replacement for therapy, but it may shorten your recovery."

Releasing a sigh of disappointment, Morgan idly played with the controls and examined the tassel of wires sticking out if it in fascination. Absently flicking the switches, he raised one of the electrodes to look closer. He yelped and instinctively threw the device into the air when an arc of electricity from the electrode suddenly zapped his fingertip. Danziger dove for the EMS unit before it hit the dirt, scowling at the liaison as he rose and dusted his knees off with the device delicately cradled in his hand.

Handing the unit back to the doctor, Danziger growled, "Be careful with that! I had a hard time finding parts to build it."

Morgan cowered slightly at the mechanic's anger, ducking his head out and away before meekly asking the doctor, "So, what do we do now?"

"We've all ready calibrated it somewhat, now we need to fine tune it to your nerves."

"Now, wait just a minute! Are you telling me you're just gonna zap me until you get it right?"

"Pretty much, Martin!" Danziger agreed with a little too much enthusiasm for Morgan's taste.

The liaison turned to the doctor, his expressive brown eyes imploring.

Julia sighed softly. "Morgan, it's not as bad as it sounds." She slowly, deliberately, slid an intent gaze from her patient to the mechanic and then back again. "I've tested it on myself. Calibrating it will be a simple procedure just to ensure we get the most benefit from the therapy. Just sit back and I'll start attaching the electrodes."

Morgan obediently did as he was told then closely watched as the doctor and mechanic worked with the unit itself. He had to admit, the impulses were more distracting than anything. The jolt he had received before was more like what he had experienced when he had decoded the geolock, only thankfully on his fingertip instead of his temple. This was more reminiscent of a brief, mild muscle spasm which was there one moment and gone the next. As Julia calibrated the device even further, they came faster but lighter as well; he could see his leg twitch almost imperceptibly under the spiderweb of wires.

As Danziger turned to leave, Julia sat back onto her heels to regard her patient with satisfaction. "Ok, Morgan. We should be all set. If you have any problems, call me right away. Any questions?"

"How do I know he doesn't have a remote to this thing?"

"You'll be the first to know," the mechanic tossed over his shoulder as he strode away.

ooooooooooooooo

Embraced deep within the pulse of the planet, he felt the warm, gentle caress of The Mother, shared the terrians' satisfaction that he had rejoined them. Like bliss. Yes, that was the word: bliss. Like waking to find Julia snuggled deep in his chest, his arms still around her, sharing each others' warmth, her soft hair tickling his nose as he took her closer and inhaled her scent. Lost in the contentment, his breathing slowed to match the rhythm of the planet as it washed over him.

Alonzo awoke suddenly, rising up only to be thrown back into the bedding by the sheet across his chest which had been secured to the cot legs. Gasping frantically, his eyes snapped open as he fought the restraint. A small hand pressed firmly on his chest, blue eyes gazed intently into his own from mere inches away. Alonzo fell into the cool, blue depths as his mind cleared and focused. Never breaking eye contact, he allowed himself to be eased back into the bedding. The palm withdrew with a caress to patiently reappear a moment later with a bottle. Alonzo drank eagerly, his throat felt as dry as the dreamplane sands.

"Why am I tied down?" he finally managed.

"To keep you from hurting yourself when you awoke."

"I wouldn't hurt myself--" His throat was clearing from the disuse.

The doctor's eyebrows quirked. "Did you intend to sit up when you awoke just now?"

Startled, he granted her a sheepish grin. "Ok, you got me. Thanks. Can you untie me now?"

The doctor bent to pull the ends of the sheet free. "How are you feeling?"

"Better."

"You've been dreaming nonstop for hours," she began carefully. "Have they been good dreams?"

"Yeah. I guess."

"Have the terrians had much to say?"

Alonzo considered the question for a moment. "The terrians don't talk much, they listen."

Julia looked at him curiously. "Have you been talking to them?"

"Not really. I've been listening, too."

She shook her head at him. Some things she would never understand. But, that was all right so long as he was with her.

"How's the pain? Are you comfortable?"

"It's ok. I'm fine. Tired." His lids were already heavy with sleep again.

"Alonzo, do you think you can stay awake long enough to eat something? You need your strength."

Dozing, he nodded and gamely tried to open his eyes more. Julia grabbed her gear to call Bess. Once that was done, she pulled a chair up beside the pilot to wait. She sought and claimed his hand, interlocking their fingers and bringing it onto her lap as he drowsily watched. They gazed at each other, content in the silence.

"Oh, uh... Julia?" Bess stood at the door, a bowl in her hand as she shifted with a slight smile on her face.

Julia pressed her lips together as Alonzo glanced over his shoulder with an exhausted grin. As their eyes met again, she invited distractedly, "Come on in, Bess."

"It's good seeing you awake and hungry!" Bess exclaimed with a sideways look at the doctor.

"What's on the menu today?" the pilot sleepily asked, then stifled a yawn as Bess rounded his bed.

"Broth, made just the way you like it." She passed the bowl to Julia and helped her carefully prop the pilot into a more comfortable position.

Having his head raised even that little bit made Alonzo's head swim. He sagged heavily into Julia, gulping air as his heart began hammering in his chest.

Julia eased him back into the pillows to scan him with concern. "Alonzo, what's wrong? Are you dizzy?"

Alonzo began to nod, then thought better of it when the world shifted sideways and started sliding out from under him. While he squeezed his eyes tight, he heard the diaglove then, after a brief pause accompanied by the sound of rummaging on the other side of the tent, felt the doctor press the derm-app to his neck.

"This should help a little."

As the spinning slowed, the pilot tried opening his eyes again, closing them quickly when another wave of dizziness hit. He concentrated on slowing his breathing, seeking an inner calm before trying once more. He encountered two pairs of concerned eyes hovering over him.

"Better?"

Trying not to move, he tightly replied, "Yeah."

"Your blood volume is still critically low. We're going to have to work you up to vertical slowly."

Alonzo sobered as the extent of his incapacity became more apparent. Lying still, he searched Julia's face, saw how tired and drawn she was, and felt a pain which had nothing to do with his physical condition. Watching the kaleidoscope of emotions on the pilot's face, Julia reassuringly smoothed the blankets on his chest with her free hand. Seeing some of the familiar devilish sparkle return to shine through, she bent low when he urged her closer with a careful nod.

Once Bess backed off a respectful distance from his meaningful look, he raised his eyebrows as he whispered, "You know, some of my best work is done horizontally…"

He grinned broadly when, with an amused glance which lit her features, she softly replied into his ear, "Maybe we need to try something different then." Sitting back to retrieve the bowl, the doctor shifted gears as she asked, "Has the dizziness passed yet? Are you still up to trying some food?"

"I can try," he replied, much to her relief.

With a nod from Julia, Bess pulled a seat close to visit while Julia helped Alonzo.

Concentrating on satisfying Julia's need for him to eat, the pilot struggled to drink the broth. The fatigue he felt upon awaking was growing with each passing second and the vertigo had never totally gone away. After only a dozen or so relatively nonproductive sips, she relented, too tired, herself, to mask the disappointment. A silent apology passed, followed by reassurance. Mere seconds later, Alonzo was back on the dreamplane.

ooooooooooooooo

It sat on a bluff overlooking the camp, quietly hooting to itself. The barrier had frustrated it up to now. These humans had ways to keep it away. The weapons frightened it. They were weapons it had never seen before but, to have survived this many years, it was no fool. The humans had tried to trade with it, but they offered nothing it couldn't get itself. Then, to add insult to injury, they found several of its stores and had helped themselves. Couldn't they see it had staked its claim? It would never understand humans.

The captivating scent was fading. Surely the humans were running out of the substance. It needed to get some soon before there was no more. It had found where they had dumped water flavored with it and had found the residue clinging to the rocks strangely satisfying. How could they simply throw it away? Did they not understand the value of it? It barely saw the two humans who had it the most – the two it had encountered that first day, but one, the smaller of the two, often visited with another human who it knew also had it -- the cripple.

The grendler remembered this one trying to trade with it before, but it never offered the special thing, then it saw it fall and the substance spilled from its pocket. It could smell the special aroma near the tent where the human had fallen, just on the other side of the barrier – teasing it. So near but yet… Maybe it simply needed something very good to trade with, but, then again, the humans had all ready stolen what it had of value.

It scrutinized the camp again, considering its options, watching for a weakness. While they hadn't staked a claim of their own, its greed for all the shiny items which had spilled from the large vehicle dulled next to the crimson substance. It must have some…

ooooooooooooooo

end Part 19


	20. Chapter 20

Part 20

ooooooooooooooo

As a soft breeze wound its way through the open tent flap, bringing with it some relief from the oppressive noontime heat, Devon's thoughts drifted while Julia worked on some specimens behind her. As he had for the past few days, Alonzo slept deeply, his tremors and twitches telling the women that he was once again dreaming. Devon wondered about her son and his own future experience with the terrians as she pensively watched the pilot.

Since he had begun to dream, during Alonzo's brief periods of wakefulness, what had struck Devon was how at peace the pilot was despite everything. However, it troubled her how his removal from the terrians appeared to have caused him such emotional turmoil; for his attachment to the terrians to seem to be so strongly tied to his health frightened the mother. A hand on her shoulder startled her back to the present.

"Devon?"

She glanced up to see the doctor's concerned face looking curiously at her. "What?"

Julia's gaze wandered to the pilot, as he exhaled slowly with a sigh then took another deep breath, before returning her scrutiny to Devon. "I said I'm going to give Morgan his therapy now. Is something wrong?"

"No. No, I was just daydreaming, I guess."

"You looked like you were a million miles away."

"More like years…" Off the doctor's enquiring look, she elaborated, "I was wondering how Uly will handle the terrians' presence. For Alonzo to get so sick--"

"Alonzo had a lot going on. The injuries, the medications, the blood loss… It was simply one more stressor. Even back on Earth, science has long recognized the mind's effect on a patient's health. With the strong metaphysical plane here, there's no telling how much further the mind can take us. Look at how the terrians appear to be helping support him now, solely through his dreams."

Off Devon's dubious look, Julia continued, "Also, don't forget, Alonzo doesn't have terrian DNA; he only came to know them as an adult. I don't know that anyone can predict how Uly and the other Syndrome children will deal with it any more than we can totally understand how Alonzo does now. Considering Gilbert's lack of concern about this side effect, I wonder if Alonzo's reaction is typical. However, as a precaution to forgo further complications, I've already labeled this medication as off limits to any dreamers."

Devon turned back to Alonzo, absently fingering the blankets as she considered the doctor's words. She nodded slowly, trying to be receptive to Julia's explanation yet not sure she was totally reassured. "It's just so hard not knowing." She flashed Julia a self-conscious smile as she elaborated, "I was so in control of my life until Uly was born. Ever since then, I have been at the mercy of someone or something else. I had hoped, once Uly was healed, things would be different. Instead, I find myself competing with an entire species for my son's attention and just hoping he's still my little boy."

"He certainly thinks of himself as your little boy. Though, at this rate, he won't be little for long! He seems to be making up for lost time now that he's healthy," Julia observed lightly before noting. "I'm sure the changes he has experienced must be disconcerting, but Alonzo feels Uly won't be called upon for quite a while except during Mooncross."

"It's what they expect once they feel he's ready that worries me."

"They tried to make Mary a link between our species but learned she needed human contact -- human roots – to be successful. Hopefully, Uly will benefit from the mistakes they made with her. Alonzo said Mary was treated well—"

"Until they cast her out."

"But, Uly has us and, because of Mary, the terrians know he needs us." Julia rested a hand on Devon's shoulder. "All this is conjecture. Maybe this is why the terrians are so interested in Alonzo – to give Uly a guide when the time comes. Or, maybe they have other plans for him as well. Unfortunately, we won't know until the terrians decide we need to. I wish I knew what to tell you. Alonzo feels we need to let nature take its course and take things as they come." With a fond smile, the doctor reached to touch the pilot momentarily while she scrutinized him before hefting her kit onto her shoulder. "I need to get Morgan's therapy out of the way. Call me if you need anything?"

"Thanks, Julia." Devon wasn't satisfied but knew she probably never would be totally comfortable with the terrians' intentions. She settled in her chair as she had so many times before, to sit at a bedside and wait. With nothing to distract her aside from the occasional gasp from the pilot or bellow beyond the tent as the therapy session commenced, she reflected, once again, on her journey to this place. The wrenching losses, the incredible gains and what they all meant for the future.

The children's spiders swayed gently as another breeze drifted through, pushing the stale air ahead of it and out the sides where the canvas had been rolled up. Snapping out of her reverie, Devon checked Alonzo again then rose to disentangle two of the eight-legged decoys from each other.

Peering out the tent, she could see the camp cleaning up after lunch. Julia had once again laid claim to the geodesic arch and was patiently guiding Morgan through his exercises. For his part, the liaison had proven to be relatively cooperative but impressively vocal in his rehabilitation.

Nearby, a few of the men were loading water jugs into the DuneRail in preparation for a foray down to the river. Devon saw Denner and Cameron lugging bins of clothing to be washed to the vehicle, also. Usually everyone washed their own things but, with the unusual circumstances, a couple of the crew had volunteered to take care of this chore. With so much time to spare, especially so shortly after another long delay, nearly everyone was looking for projects to keep them occupied.

With the river crossing foremost on his mind, John Danziger had kept the Ops crew hopping the past few days since his return. The TransRover had been stripped of all the equipment still loaded on it, with each item checked and repaired or calibrated as needed then neatly reloaded onto the large vehicle, the ATV was totally overhauled with every fuse and relay delicately hand-dried, tents and clothing had been meticulously mended, and now smaller scanners along with anything else left lying around was fair game for idle hands.

While not helping Julia, Yale had been kept busy inspecting each vine brought back to camp for structural integrity and strength. Any vines which made the grade were eventually sorted again and Bess taught several crewmembers how to braid them together, splicing the various lengths into a long, resilient cable. The extras were carefully coiled to be used later on the raft construction.

Devon turned back to Alonzo, sitting next to him to watch him dream. She idly wondered what went on behind his quivering eyelids – she barely remembered her few ventures onto the dreamplane. While she had proven receptive to being brought onto it by someone else, she was not a dreamer.

Her son, on the other hand, always would be, yet she wondered once again how much he currently dreamed terrian dreams. For the most part, his stories of the dreamplane seemed like outlandishly fanciful tales, even for this planet, and Devon had noticed how Alonzo would politely withhold comment much of the time, only showing true interest on extremely rare occasions. She had learned to gauge Uly's stories on Alonzo's reaction and follow up with him rather than pressure her son. Devon was glad Uly didn't have much contact with the terrians; she knew, soon enough, his responsibility would deepen. At least, with the pilot recovering, his responsibilities hopefully could wait.

ooooooooooooooo

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" Julia scrutinized her patient as he gingerly shifted position.

"It's been worse…" Morgan grudgingly conceded before amending, "I think it's definitely getting better. Thanks, Julia. Do you have any idea when I'll be able to walk around without the crutches?"

"Hopefully soon, but it will be a long time before you'll be up to walking to New Pacifica."

Matching her smile with one of his own, Morgan watched in anticipation as the doctor prepared the painblock and then administered it. "Bess said you thought Alonzo was almost well enough to travel," he broached as the warm, mellow sensation soothed the aches.

"She did?" Julia's eyebrows rose as she wondered how much of her conversation with Yale and Danziger Bess had overheard late the previous evening.

"She said he was awake a lot more…" he covered.

"His recovery is progressing, but it's going to take time. Even asleep with an uneventful ride, all the shifting on the TransRover is going to be difficult for him." She scanned Morgan's leg before checking the leads to his EMS unit. "Are you still comfortable with this?" Julia slid the control pack from his waistband to inspect the settings.

"Yeah. It's kinda soothing most of the time. Sometimes, it kinda gets on my nerves but it's mostly good."

"Good. Just promise me you won't adjust it without me. The power pack Danziger used for it is stronger than we wanted. That shock you got the other day is nothing compared to what it's capable of."

Morgan's eyes widened at the thought. "But, I'm wearing that! To bed, even!" He blustered for a moment, "It could electrocute me and Bess in our sleep!"

"Morgan, don't worry – no one's going to get electrocuted. See these two recessed buttons?" Off his nod, she continued, "They need to be fully depressed in order to change the settings. Just don't fiddle with it." She sought his eyes. "Okay?"

Morgan carefully took the control pack back and cautiously clipped it to his waistband. He wondered once again why his life always seemed more complicated than it ever should be. Noticing Julia's continued scrutiny, he nodded his acquiescence.

"You know, Julia, sometimes it's better for a patient to not be informed…" he muttered under his breath with an uncertain smile in her direction to soften it. He gathered the crutches and awkwardly hobbled towards his tent, leaving Julia to watch his retreat.

ooooooooooooooo

Alonzo bolted awake, the ever-present sheet keeping him stationary. A hand lightly pressed his chest as blue eyes looked tentatively into his. Reason rapidly returned as his eyes widened in surprised recognition.

"Devon?" His voice was guttural, the humidity made it hard to breathe.

She curiously watched his eyes focus as he settled into the present. "Are you ok now?"

"Yeah. Thanks."

Withdrawing her hand slowly to scoot her chair closer to the pilot, she broached, "Julia told me it helps."

"Yeah, it does." He groggily scanned the tent. "Where is she?"

"With Morgan. She should be done soon, I think."

His eyes drifted shut. Seeing the pilot shiver, Devon retrieved another blanket from a nearby pile. As they stripped layers off themselves as the sun came out to sweep the cool evening mists away and begin its blistering climb into the sky, they had gradually removed some of his blankets as well. Despite Julia's explanation, Devon wondered how Alonzo could still be cold as she draped the blanket over him. The pilot winced as he shifted around, seeking a comfortable position. Relaxing with a reedy sigh, his eyes briefly wandered the tent before returning to her.

"How's Morgan doing?"

"He's doing well. Julia's pleased with his progress. He's been asking about you."

Watching Devon intently, he guardedly asked, "Have we traveled at all since I got hurt?"

Hesitantly returning his scrutiny, she reluctantly admitted, "No. But, Julia says it should be soon."

Alonzo's eyes rolled slightly as he stressed, "We need to keep moving. We need to get to New Pacifica -- before the colony ship."

Devon shook her head. "Julia says you can't be moved yet." When his expression clouded, she added, "We still have plenty of time."

"Plenty of time for what?" Julia asked lightly as she strode into the med-tent. Her eyebrows lifted as she acknowledged the pilot with a smile then raised her eyes to seek answers from Devon as she approached the cot.

A cool hand captured her wrist. "Julia, we need to get moving," Alonzo insisted. "I don't want to hold us up any more."

"We'll start moving as soon as you're ready," she reassured him. Covering his hand with her own, she crouched next to him.

"Julia, I'm ready now." His voice was soft but firm; his gaze direct.

Pressing her lips together, Julia regarded the pilot quietly for a moment, meeting his determined gaze before asking, "Can you sit up?"

"Julia..." The pilot flashed her an aggravated frown before sighing resignedly. Squeezing his eyes shut tight, he slowly turned his head away for a moment to worry his lower lip before turning to focus his intent expression on her again, demanding her attention. "If I could, could we travel?"

"It would be a start. That would mean you were stronger and, hopefully, more able to handle some of the steeper hills we'll be going over."

The pilot quietly considered her words then, with sudden resolve, he gritted his teeth, grunting out loud as he struggled to lever himself up onto his elbows.

Caught off-guard, Julia slid a hand behind his shoulders to help support him while he fumbled to get his hands under him. "Alonzo, enough. You aren't ready. Please, lie back."

His chest heaving with the effort, he stubbornly shook his head, determined to force Julia's hand. Getting one hand underneath him, he swayed precipitously. His head swam with vertigo.

With an urgent nod towards Devon, Julia held the pilot up with one hand while pressing on his chest with the other. "Alonzo, lie back!" Her voice softened. "Please, lie back. You're not going to get me to agree with you this way."

He panted as he allowed the women to ease him into the bed. Once he had quieted, Julia rose to retrieve her diaglove.

Alonzo defiantly asked her back, "What's it gonna take then?" He caught his breath when he saw her pause at his words, lingering at her table for a moment to idly sort the items on top of it before returning.

Eyeing him uncertainly, Julia stalled while she examined him thoroughly. Ignoring Devon and Alonzo's scrutiny, she took her time to watch the pilot's vitals stabilize. Once she was satisfied, she finally focused on him. "Your hematocrit is still very low, but you should be safe to move to the river in another day or two, provided we're able to get you to tolerate sitting up a little more – maybe another ten degrees? John said the terrain is hilly but relatively smooth. I would also like to see you eating better—"

"What river?"

"There's a river in our path," Devon explained simply. "When we get there, we're going to have to build a raft to get everything across."

The pilot looked askance from one woman to the other. "We're gonna take a raft across? How far away is it?"

"About fifty klicks. Cameron and Danziger found it when they went on a long range scout."

"If it's that close, why aren't we there now?"

"It was too much of a risk to move you," Julia reiterated. She leaned forward, her hand on his arm. "As it is, if you show any signs of stress, I will halt the convoy. Understood?"

"Then we can travel?"

"Ten more degrees and you'll eat two meals of my choosing every day." She noted his anticipated hesitation.

His determined expression softening, he capitulated to her demands. "Might as well start now." His grudging smile showed he harbored no resentment. "Can I at least choose my last meal?"

Julia exchanged an amused glance with Devon. "Yes, you can choose, but I say how much."

"Bring it on."

ooooooooooooooo

Standing next to the TransRover, John Danziger moodily reviewed the caravan as everyone assembled in preparation for departure from camp. He wasn't convinced it was the right time, but Julia had overridden him and, with everyone eager to leave this camp and get the river crossing over with, he had been easily outvoted the previous evening. Alonzo had been safely installed on the TransRover with Julia once again perched at his side. Behind the mechanic, on the DuneRail, Morgan was settled into the backseat with Bess. Unsure how he would handle the ride, Julia had given the liaison a mild sedative, causing him to lean heavily onto his wife as he dozed.

As unsure as the doctor was as to how Morgan would handle the ride, John had somehow convinced Cameron to drive the 'Rail. Walman buzzed by on the ATV, taking up the lead as John swung up into the large mining vehicle next to Yale and the two children. Taking up the rear, he watched as everyone fell into step. Baines faded back a bit, armed with a Mag-Pro. Catching Danziger's attention in the mirror, he nodded and flashed surreptitious thumbs up. Grumbling under his breath, the mechanic commanded the vehicle forward into the woods.

The first day went uneventfully as did the second and the third after that. The easiest path drifted southwest before sharply veering northwest. They paused often to recharge the vehicles, collect fruit and give their injured friends time to rest before venturing forward again.

Julia was relieved to see Alonzo slept through much of their journey, often safely ensconced on the dreamplane. Seeing the toll their traveling exacted from the injured pilot despite this, she often considered calling the convoy to a halt, yet Alonzo insisted he could handle it and, while it frequently took him hours to eat what little she brought him, he stubbornly ate every bite and swallowed every drop offered to him. By the time the exhaustion began to truly catch up with him, they were close enough to the river that Julia banked on the week's rest Danziger had promised her.

They reached the river midday the fourth day, making camp nearby. At this point along the river, the trees ended at a ridgeline above camp. The ground gently fell away from the ridge, eventually forming a small meadow before a short drop led to a beach at the water's edge. Most of the crew wandered down to the river bank to catch their first glimpse of this roadblock before turning their attention to establishing their campsite.

Once the med-tent was set, John grabbed Mazatl to help carry Alonzo. They found the pilot listlessly watching their approach while Devon hovered next to him.

"Making camp?" he asked huskily as Danziger drew near.

"Yeah, the med-tent's all set up for you."

The pilot eyed the mechanic doubtfully. "We're at the river?"

"Yeah, 'Lonz, it's right over there. We'll bring you down to see it later, if Julia says it's ok."

"Just as well stay right here for a while…"

"What do you mean?" Noticing the pilot's pallor, the mechanic turned to Devon. "Is he ok? Where's Julia?"

Devon nodded to the far side of camp. "She's checking on Morgan. She said he's fine, just exhausted."

The mechanic irritably turned to search the doctor out. Seeing her crossing camp towards him, he strode forward to intercept her. "Damnit, Julia. Why didn't you stop us?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about Alonzo looking like death warmed over back there."

"Danziger, I told you he was borderline before we started moving. I've been monitoring him closely. Now that we're here, he can rest."

"Well, apparently he'll be resting on the 'Rover. He doesn't want us to move him."

She peered past the mechanic's elbow at the bundled up pilot. Looking up at John, she calmly suggested, "He's nearly due for his next dose. Once I administer it, I'll call you. Until then, he needs to unwind after all that swaying. You know, your vehicles don't exactly give the smoothest ride…"

John Danziger's eyebrows shot up well past his sunglasses. "You don't say…"

"I do." Crossing her arms, Julia rejoindered with a quirk of her own brow. "And, right now, I need to check on my patient."

Turning towards the TransRover, Danziger gave a curt nod in Mazatl's direction. The crewman stood from where he had been leaning against the mining vehicle and strode towards them.

"Let me know when you're ready, Doc. We're gonna finish setting up camp and then we'll probably start marking trees for cutting."

ooooooooooooooo

It sat high on the ridge above them. Watching. They had been easy to follow; they could only move as fast as their slowest members. As much as it wasn't rooted to one territory, it still grew impatient as it was led away from familiar ground. They had set camp near a river with many of them wandering down to the water's edge to look across to the other side. It watched these humans nervously; grendlers were subterranean creatures, not aquatic. While it would wade if absolutely necessary, it knew it was simply too top heavy to swim.

Some of the humans appeared less than eager to see the strong current as well. While some splashed into the shallows, others merely milled about on the sandy shore much like the abiqui before they began their crossing, looking uncertainly at the far shore and the water in between. They were lucky they were crossing here, the grendler knew. At further points along this river, large predators awaited anything foolish enough to come near with mouths full of razor sharp teeth and insatiable appetites.

If they crossed the river, its last chance at the wonderful thing would cross with them. If it wanted it, in true grendler fashion, it would have to make its own luck and decide its own fate. And soon.

ooooooooooooooo

end Part 20


	21. Chapter 21

Part 21

ooooooooooooooo

The next morning most of the crew fanned out on the ridgeline above camp. With plenty of time to plan the previous week, they were able to immediately get to work on their assignments.

The men marked the trees which most closely met their requirements. They were fortunate to find more than enough trees close to camp which were tall and straight enough to suit their needs. Once cut, the trees were cleaned of branches and dragged downhill one at a time. John Danziger carefully choreographed the entire project, ever mindful of the dangerous nature of dealing with such large objects and an inexperienced crew.

While Magus guarded camp, Devon and Denner cleared the beach of debris with Zero's help. The beach extended slightly into the river, forming a small sand bar where the river took a slight jog around it. By its very nature, the promontory collected a variety of debris, mainly the broken husks of logs washed downriver. Yale had surmised the small drop gouged between the beach and the meadow above was the high water mark for the annual spring runoff. With summer now in full swing, the river had settled to its lower level. Once the beach was clear, the women set Zero to dig out a ramp down to the beach for the smaller vehicles.

Yale worked with the children to carefully unwind the cable, making sure it was neatly laid out at the ready and that it had not become damaged while in storage. Chafing at the lost time since their last lessons, the tutor was determined to make as much of the river crossing educational for them as possible and had insisted they stay with him. Once the cable was properly laid out, he surveyed the opposing shore and worked with the children to plot the best crossing. With his project easily disguising the many lessons which could be drawn from it, Yale was pleased to see the children compete to triangulate and work out the formulas, then present their findings and the reasoning behind their choices. They then made a scale model of the ferry to see how the current would affect the vessel.

With Bess rotating her time between camp chores and him, Morgan's boredom had finally gotten the best of him. At the noontime meal, he approached John to request a job for himself. At first, the mechanic had demurred, pleading concern that Morgan be as rested and recovered as possible for the crossing as well as the travel which would soon follow. When pressed, the mechanic sternly turned him down, citing Morgan's clumsiness with the crutches and the liability that brought the entire crew with it. But, when John looked later, Morgan could be seen hobbling around the woodlot next to camp, logging their inventory on gear in precise detail.

Except for an occasional break or Morgan's physical therapy, Julia spent most of her time in the med-tent. Alonzo had fallen into an exhausted slumber while still on the TransRover and did not awaken until the morning of the third day, tired and hungry. By then, the raft had been framed out, the launch area prepared for the cables' scaffold. As the raft took shape, everyone fell into their stride, finding the jobs which best suited them.

ooooooooooooooo

Alonzo awoke slowly. The racket of construction filtered through the thin canvas trailing the aroma of Bess Martin's cooking. He could tell it was midday by the lack of shadows all around him in the bright tent. Yale sat next to him, his attention riveted to a long stick in his hands. The tutor held a damp cloth in one hand and was slowly rubbing it along the stick, seemingly oblivious to the pilot's scrutiny. Bellows from beyond the tent answered Alonzo's unuttered question as to Julia's whereabouts. He placidly watched the tutor continue his project, hypnotically sliding the stick up and down in the cupped cloth, checking it, then starting again.

Left to his own musings, the pilot dozed lightly as he watched the wood's grain come to life, the knot on one end of the stick begin to shine. He was growing tired of being placated and hovered over and appreciated this opportunity to be awake without pressure. Watching the tutor dip his cloth into a bucket of water then grab another handful of fine, powdery grit, Alonzo realized how thirsty he was. He swallowed carefully as his eyes wandered the tent.

"Alonzo, would you like something to drink?"

If not for the unmistakable lilting voice, Alonzo would have wondered who had spoken since Yale hadn't seemed to divert his focus. Laying down his project, the tutor reached just beyond his vision.

"You may wish to try some of this juice. It's very sweet and quite nutritious."

"Thanks." Alonzo paused from drinking the smooth gold liquid to ask, "What are you making?"

Yale smiled and glanced down at his project as he picked it up to show the pilot. "It is a cane for Morgan. Julia feels he shouldn't need the crutches much longer but would like to continue to take some weight off his leg. I just need to finish polishing it and then it will be done."

"A cane?" He carefully eased himself up with the tutor's help, leaning slightly forward before reclining onto the offered pillows. He moved cautiously, his hand drifting protectively in response to the subtle tug on his abdomen where the feeding tube had been removed that morning. "How did you get the wood to do that?"

"Do what?" Yale turned the cane to examine it closely.

"That knot on the end."

The tutor chuckled deeply. "That is a burl. It is where the tree was exposed to some sort of injury which disrupted the growth pattern. I thought it would make a good handle."

"Are we still at the river?"

"Yes, Alonzo, we're still at the river," Yale reassured him with a knowing smile. "We have accomplished quite a bit over the past several days but still have much to do before we attempt to cross the river. The raft is coming along quite nicely; the frame is in place and the deck is very nearly complete."

"How much longer do you think before we can start travelling again?"

"We have been reviewing where we are each evening. I would expect one more day before we send the TransRover north then another day or two after that at a minimum to get everything into place and the raft finished."

"Hey!" Julia ducked into the med-tent with a wide smile at the sight of the pilot sitting up.

He beamed back at her. "Hey, yourself. Done with Morgan? A guy has to get some sleep around here, you know?"

"Don't look too eager. You're next."

Alonzo's grin faded a bit but the merriment never left his eyes. His eyebrows rising, he looked over to the chuckling tutor before asking her, "Don't you think I've been through enough?" He feigned seriousness. "Maybe I should get a second opinion first…"

With an amused snort, Julia shook her head at the pilot. Even she was amazed at the changes in him. Just in the few days since waking up at the river, Alonzo's recovery had been almost exponential in nature. She knew in her heart they had a long way to go but there was finally a light at the end of the tunnel.

Gathering up his tools, Yale rose. "I will take this as my cue to leave. Julia, do you need anything before I go?"

"No. I think I'm all set. Thank you, Yale."

Patting Alonzo on the forearm in response to his mouthed thanks, the tutor exited the tent, carefully drawing the flap closed as he went. As much as he was never left alone, Julia had been insistent that Alonzo have some privacy now that he was recovering and had been especially firm about his therapy.

Finished putting her kit away, the doctor turned to him. "Ok, Mr. Solace." After slipping him out of his shirt, she helped him lean forward off the pillows and then to lie flat on his back. Picking up the small jar of succulent oil, she matter-of-factly stated, "We need to work on your back again today."

Seeing his expression cloud as he obediently rolled over for her without a word, she lightly rested a supportive hand on his shoulder. This was the hardest for him, she knew – Rogers' crew's distressingly crude treatments had left an indelible impression on the pilot; one which would take a great deal of time and patience to overcome. She would keep this session as brief as possible, mindfully keeping him with her in the present the entire time. Softly speaking to him, she couldn't miss the restrained flinch as she rested first one then the other hand on his bare skin.

A few hours later, Devon tapped lightly on the med-tent frame. "Julia?" Not receiving a response from the silent tent, she pulled the flap back enough to peek inside.

Silently entering, Devon saw the doctor sound asleep in her chair next to Alonzo, her head resting on his chest, one arm possessively flung across him. The pilot loosely embraced his lover with one hand while the other rested lightly on her temple, his palm covering her eyes. Devon smiled at the peaceful tableau – she had been worried about the two of them since this whole nightmare started and was pleased to finally see them so contented. She crept backwards out of the tent and tucked the flap back into place.

ooooooooooooooo

The next morning, with no trees close enough to shore to anchor the cables, a stanchion needed to be built to moor them to the shoreline. One crew leapt into building the reinforced anchor while the rest continued working on the boat nearby.

They tried to get as much done as possible because they would lose several sets of hands the next day when the TransRover would venture the ten kilometers upstream to attempt to ford the river before working its way down to the other side of the crossing. Mazatl, Walman and Magus were chosen to stay with the large vehicle while everyone else would be crossing with their camp and equipment as soon as the TransRover was in position and the ferry was completed.

More to burn off nervous energy than anything, John Danziger checked the vehicles yet again before turning in for the night. He didn't like the situation they were in at all. Even though they knew they would eventually encounter obstacles such as this, it didn't make it any easier to finally come across one. As much as they relied on the maps and tried to anticipate what to expect, between the Council omissions and dealing with an untamed world, G889 had a way of humbling them.

Nearly all Station born, most of the group could not swim; some could barely keep afloat. A few in their group, Mazatl, Bess, Alonzo – seemingly the ones who had most embraced their new world and were more game to trust the planet and try new things – had become quite competent during the few opportunities they had to try in still waters. But, much of the water they had dealt with thus far in their journey was moving water; too shallow or swift for much more than wading. Danziger was proud and relieved that True was a strong swimmer. Uly had tried swimming, but, as much as the boy's coordination had improved in their time on this planet, he had only developed a strangely flailing dogpaddle with much effort. For a child who had spent the first eight years of his life struggling to breathe, the concept of holding his breath was terrifying. With all that in mind, Danziger had insisted a good swimmer be on each shore as long as possible in the event of an accident.

Leaning on one of the scaffolds, he eyed to the unfinished raft resting on the beach, reviewing it with a mechanic's seasoned eye. They had culled a simple design from Yale's database and modified it to their needs, available materials and abilities. The raft was just long enough to accommodate the DuneRail with a built up deck and hinged ramps on both ends; the two sides were slated to have a meter high wall with guides on the outside for the stabilizing cables and an enclosing rail fence above it. Once completed, with the ramps up, it would be fully enclosed up to two meters above the deck on all four sides. Currently looking more like the washed up bones of a prehistoric beast, Danziger mused how the unfinished craft seemed so insubstantial when compared to the imposing waterway it was being asked to cross repeatedly with all their worldly belongings onboard. Yale and Cameron had assured him this plan would work but he couldn't seem to escape the overpowering dread which shadowed him relentlessly.

Motion by the fire caught his attention. Danziger could see Morgan struggle onto the crutches before hobbling to his tent with his wife supporting him. Looking down at his feet, the mechanic closed his eyes, shook his head and sighed. They were down two people, four if he counted the people required to stay with them. What's more, they were committing to this dangerous crossing with two invalids who were unlikely to be able to do anything to save themselves if something were to happen. Danziger wasn't much of a gambling man, he preferred sure things and he didn't like the odds.

Devon emerged from her tent to wander over to him. "We got a lot done today," she remarked, surveying the small scow curiously.

"Yeah. It should be done by the time the TransRover is in position."

"How many are following it to the ford?"

Danziger allowed his eyes to wander the camp before answering, "We can't afford to send as many as we probably should. I figure I could take Baines in the DuneRail in case there are any problems. There were a few places we might need to do some clearing to get it through. Once they get to the river, if it bogs down, there's not much we'd be able to do anyways."

"If we lose that vehicle--" Devon crossed her arms against the chill that thought brought.

"Yeah, well, let's just hope we don't."

"Hope, Danziger?"

"I know that's more your game, Adair—"

Devon smiled, the firelight reflected in her eyes. She shook her head wryly. "I suppose it's gotten us this far…"

"Well, let's just hope it gets us another hundred meters." Danziger granted her a tight smile and a pat on the shoulder before heading to his tent.

ooooooooooooooo

The first shafts of sunlight found most of camp congregated around the TransRover, helping with the final preparations for their trip. The wood and equipment for any necessary cable scaffolding had been loaded the day before as was their camping equipment. The small advance crew's food and personal items were to be stowed in the cab with Walman during the crossing but were piled in the back for the trip to the river so Magus and Mazatl could ride in comfort. Baines and John Danziger hopped into the DuneRail to lead the way and help them get to the ford safely.

They followed a winding course, doubling back twice to find a better passageway for the larger vehicle. Even though Danziger had reset its solar panels horizontally before leaving their prior camp, they still found themselves balancing precariously atop the vehicle several times to cut a clear path through the tangle of branches. With all the delays, it was well past noon by the time they reached the ford.

Once there, they considered the shelf critically, looking for any good reason to abort their plans. Not finding any, after a quick lunch and quicker goodbyes, it was time to put their plan into action. Danziger checked the vehicle one last time and caked all the bearings and relays again with a grease he had concocted from cooking grease and ground mica. A cable was attached to the TransRover's winch in the rear; this was to be dragged behind the vehicle in case it bogged down and needed to be tethered to the shore so it could be reeled back in.

Once that was laid out, Walman jumped into the cab of the truck while Magus and Mazatl hopped into the bed in back. With the fear that someone could become trapped in the cab if the TransRover tipped, it had been decided that only the driver would remain in the front of the vehicle during the actual crossing. John guided Walman to the best spot along the water's edge. He watched the water lap against the tires for a few minutes before, with a reluctant grimace, he gave Walman a shrug then tipped his head in the direction of the opposite shore. His hands on his hips, the mechanic stepped back next to Baines to watch.

The large vehicle lumbered into the water, its six wheels churning up silt and long, serrated green blades of vegetation as it progressed. Its entry was choppy as the shale twisted and slid under its weight. Water surged against its side, seeking the shortest route to its destination at the distant sea. The wheels slipped and gripped repeatedly then disappeared from view as the river got deeper, their continued effectiveness being measured by the vehicle's agonizingly slow progress.

The vehicle suddenly dipped forward with a jolt. Clinging to the frame, Mazatl and Magus scrambled as they were abruptly flung into the back of the cab and water lapped over the side. Standing on the shore, Danziger willed the large mining vehicle across. Next to him, Baines leaned further forward, choking on a shout. With a loud shudder, the TransRover keeled sideways, pivoting on an invisible axis.

The mechanic watched Mazatl and Magus sway helplessly as they clung to the frame in the back of the truck as the swift current swirled around their feet. Their tent started to float and Magus grabbed at it to ensure it was secured well enough to not be swept away. Looking into the water, the crewwoman saw a large shadow drift slowly towards them. She mutely grabbed Mazatl's shirt, tugging at it frantically as she spied other shadows swimming to join it.

The vehicle hung in place for an agonizing moment before lurching forward again, its front wheels suddenly popping back into view while the rear dipped lower as it negotiated an underwater fissure on the shelf. Water streamed from every possible opening when the rear wheels finally engaged and the deck rose to ride high across the rest of the crossing. Reaching the opposite shore, Walman drove the vehicle well clear of the bank before halting to survey any possible damage.

Finally remembering to breathe, Danziger swung his mouthpiece down. "Good job! You had me worried there for a minute."

"You aren't the only one!" Magus replied with a laugh. She nervously looked through the gear set towards the water.

Danziger grinned into the eyepiece at the crewwoman. He looked over to Baines, noticing the tech looked like he was about to faint. Clapping the man on the arm, he nodded at his look of relieved wonder. "Ok, let's have a P.O.V. of the undercarriage. How's it running?"

"Running good," Walman answered readily as he scrambled under the vehicle to give the mechanic a look.

While Magus and Mazatl gathered up the rescue cable and stowed it in the vehicle, Danziger directed Walman through a systems check, noting with pride how well the truck designed for mining handled the conditions they put it through. "It looks good from here. We'll wait until you get underway and try to pace you for a while in case anything crops up. How about your camping gear? Did you lose anything?"

"Nope. It looks like we're good to go."

"Ok then. Why don't you head out? We'll stay in gear contact as long as possible. As soon as we can reach camp, we'll let them know you're all safe." Signing off, Danziger headed for the DuneRail with Baines close behind.

With a series of slaps, silver fins flashed out of the water for a moment before disappearing. On both shores, they looked over their shoulders, uncertain of what they had seen, before driving away.

One crossing down...

ooooooooooooooo

Morgan watched the ferry return for him and Alonzo with trepidation. So far, it had worked surprisingly well but the manner in which it occasionally bucked and twisted against its cable system alarmed the liaison; even with the solid sides to hang onto, it had nearly dumped passengers and equipment overboard a couple times all ready. Morgan nervously looked over to Alonzo where he was propped up nearby. The injured pilot was watching the ferry raptly, seemingly eager to climb onboard and experience the ride for himself. Morgan noticed Julia and Bess didn't seem to share the pilot's enthusiasm. They shared worried, drawn expressions as Danziger hauled the boat back to their shore with the ATV.

They were scheduled to be the second to last trip across, after Baines and the DuneRail and before Cameron, John Danziger, Zero and the ATV. Being the heaviest load, the DuneRail had made the ferry ride low in the water, causing the TransRover to strain to pull it against the perpendicular current.

Once it landed, the men carried Alonzo onto the boat. While the DuneRail crossed, there had been a heated discussion whether to secure the pilot or not and which was the more dangerous choice until Alonzo had interrupted to protest that he didn't want to be tied and left helpless if there was an emergency. Danziger only relented when the pilot allowed for the cot to be secured to the center beam. Morgan, Julia and Bess found seats near Alonzo along the built in bench, and, once they were ready Danziger signaled the opposite shore.

The wood groaned loudly as the tow cable tightened. The boat rocked over a swell, earning a pleased grin from Alonzo. He flashed a wink at Julia, who was too intent on the opposite shore to notice. Morgan felt the nausea building in his gut as the rhythmic rocking was interspersed with tugs from the TransRover as it slipped, grabbed and pulled at irregular intervals. Seeing the delight on Alonzo's face made him idly wonder if the pilot was simply too much of an adrenaline junkie or too heavily medicated to recognize the danger.

As they neared the midpoint, a sudden jolt shuddered through the small craft. Splinters flew through the air as a log rammed the scow to breach the side, sending them all ducking for cover. The cables strained under the added pressure, creaking at the sudden increase of weight. A strand of the upriver cable snapped, unfurling wildly from the remainder of the braided vines. With the log operating as a lever, the boat reared up nearly onto its side, sending everyone tumbling before breaking free and splashing back onto its keel.

When it righted and stopped rocking, the cot in the center of the boat lay empty.

"Alonzo!" Julia scrambled for the rail, looking frantically for him as Morgan pulled the VR gear off his head to look at the amused pilot.

"Where'd you go?"

"For a swim. You'd better not let Julia see this."

"I all ready did," Morgan admitted. "She fell in, too."

His eyes widening, Alonzo's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Really?"

"Yes, really. Morgan, you said it was a glitch," Julia sternly reminded him as she entered the med-tent with two bowls. She set one in Alonzo's lap before sliding a crate next to him to sit.

Morgan shrugged. "I don't know where that log came from… I didn't program it in."

"Well, then you may wish to speak with Yale about it," Julia suggested. "Thanks for sitting with him, Morgan. Danziger just called in; the TransRover crossed safely. They should be in position by sometime tomorrow at the latest."

Morgan swallowed nervously and nodded. He was relieved the mining vehicle was safe but its safe passage only brought his own closer to reality. Gathering up his crutches, he left the young couple to go find Bess.

ooooooooooooooo

end part 21


	22. Chapter 22

Part 22

ooooooooooooooo

After paralleling the TransRover for over a kilometer, as soon as they were assured it was progressing well on the other side of the river and with so much still left to do, Danziger and Baines broke off communications and raced back to camp in time to grab a quick dinner and sleep in their own cots. By the time they returned, it was well past nightfall.

The following morning, while they awaited the TransRover's arrival, they assessed where they were and what still needed to be completed. The scaffold was finished and merely awaited its cables. They still needed to finish adding the tight layer of narrower poles to serve as planking and reinforce the load points and ramps to the raft before it would be ready to face the river.

By the time the TransRover arrived on the opposite shore, the boat was nearly complete. The sight of their friends working across from them spurred everyone on both shores on. Walman, Mazatl and Magus busied themselves ensuring the cables would be securely attached on their side of the river while the boat received its own finishing touches.

As soon as they were ready, Danziger threw a rock with a rope tied to it across the river. Attaching the rope to a pulley on the TransRover, it was reeled in, followed by the two cable ends which had all ready been attached to the anchor and threaded through the stays on the raft. An extra length of rope still dragged in the water from one side of the river to the other to be used later to reel in the boat's tow cable. The crew on the western shore made short work of anchoring the cables, making them as snug as possible.

Everyone retired early in preparation for the crossing the next day. Before settling for the night, they made sure as much of the camp as possible was broken down and deposited with the rest of the staged equipment near the boat.

Early the next morning, as the sun cleared the trees, everyone congregated around the raft to watch it launch. The first few trips would be small test runs comprised solely of equipment they had deemed the most expendable. After that, as they arrayed their precious few possessions around them, they sorted them out the best they could, mindful any trip across could cause losses, so each bundle needed to have a variety of items rather than run the chance of losing one key thing.

With the raft and all their equipment ready, John prepared to add the final piece to the raft. Gathering the tow cables, Danziger lined a piton into position then drove it in between two logs. A few taps ensured it was well seated before the mechanic put his foot on the frame and drew the threaded cable back towards him, engaging the gears and allowing the sharp teeth to bite into the hard wood. Devon's mouth went dry as the wood loudly complained with inhuman groans as it snapped and split where the cams grabbed the raft.

Tying off the rope, Danziger noticed the sudden silence, the ashen faces. "What's wrong?"

Dragging her eyes from the piton, Devon blinked at him, clearing her head. "I was just thinking -- Alonzo… I've never actually seen one operate."

Danziger looked at the subject of concern with a sigh and nodded. "Yeah, I know. They're pretty nasty, but they're a good tool for the job." Pulling at it experimentally to ensure it wouldn't pull free, he crossed to the other side of the raft and drove the second piton home. He grimaced apologetically as the wood splintered and moaned. Keying his gear, he asked, "Ok, Walman, you ready to reel the rope in?"

"Yeah, we're all set on this side. Let me know when you're ready."

Danziger snugged the rope to the cable, making sure everything was secure. "We're good to go. Take it nice and easy, Walman, don't rush it. Everyone stand back!"

They all stepped out of the way as the TransRover began hauling first the rope then the cable attached to it across the river. Once the cable was attached to the TransRover, the boat was then slowly hauled, skidding across the beach along a series of poles embedded in the sand perpendicular to the water and finally into the water itself. When it started to float on its own, Danziger called the TransRover to a halt. While he secured the second tow cable to the DuneRail, Baines eagerly clambered aboard and released the rear ramp. They loaded the raft quickly, secured the ramp and called for the TransRover to begin pulling it across.

Danziger stepped back out of the water's edge to watch beside Yale. He cringed when the boat reached a deeper portion and momentarily dipped slightly upriver then stabilized with a slight keel in that direction from the force of the water surging against the side and dragging along it. "Maybe we should load to the left next time. I figure about nine more trips should do it. I hate to put too much on at one time in case there's a problem."

The tutor nodded readily. "It appears to be handling the current well."

Devon came to stand by them, her hands on her hips. "It's hard to believe that's everything we have…"

She pensively looked at the array of equipment staged on the shore and sighed. They rarely had everything unloaded at one time and to see it all neatly piled in one place only clarified how little they truly had.

"It's a great deal more than we started with," Yale reminded her paternally. "As Mr. Rogers so aptly pointed out, on this planet we have many uncommon riches." He patted her arm as his attention strayed once more to the raft's progress.

While Yale and John continued their analysis of the boat's performance, Devon crossed her arms against the mention of the penal colonist's name. His monologue the first day they met him still chilled her, even now knowing he had merely chosen his words to elicit the greatest amount of cooperation out of them and meant nothing by it, she knew it could just as easily have been true. Once again luck had been with them, but the danger they realized once they had uncovered the E2 Project had been all too graphically thrust into the forefront when Alonzo disappeared.

Triumphant shouts drew Devon's attention back to the present. The boat had reached the opposite bank. Devon could see the splash as Walman released the ramp and the three crewmembers quickly emptied the raft and then secured the ramp. With a wave from the opposite shore, Baines started the DuneRail to slowly but surely haul the boat back for its next load.

ooooooooooooooo

Alonzo slept soundly. As the camp was slowly moved across the river, he and Morgan had been relocated to a small protected knoll nearby but well out of the way. Afraid the pilot would overheat in the sun, Julia had the cot set up under a large shade tree while Morgan was propped against the tree itself. She and Bess stayed with the two men, keeping half an eye on the children playing below them while the adults contended with the ferry. Finally free to play after their extended confinement, Uly and True raced around the small meadow, tumbling together like a pair of pups in the springtime.

Morgan had found a VR game to entertain himself, so Julia and Bess were able to sit and relax between the two men at the edge of the shade, enjoying the lapping warmth as the branches swayed gently in a soft breeze. When the sun reached its apex, Bess excused herself to prepare the noontime meal, sending over a large bowl of it to the other crew as well. They securely moored the boat and everyone gathered under the shade to share lunch.

Julia looked dubiously at the bowl of greens Bess presented her. She could see small pieces of meat, berries and nuts as well as the slight glaze of a fruit juice in it but it more resembled a rodent's nest than a meal to her. Tasting it experimentally, she was once again amazed at Bess' culinary abilities. The fruit glaze gave the more bitter grasses a touch of sweetness; the interspersed morsels, some nutritive variety for her tastebuds. Morgan took a brief break from his VR to bestow a kiss on Bess' cheek, quickly devour his own meal then return to his program. With Julia reluctant to wake the pilot, Alonzo's meal, a protein rich mash, was carefully sealed to be eaten later.

Once their gear was all on the other side, it was time to move the people and vehicles over. First in line, Devon, Yale, Denner and the two children climbed onto the ferry. From her post atop the knoll, Julia watched them climb onboard and settle for their trip across. She couldn't seem to quell the feelings which surged at the sight of her friends leaving. Unconsciously slipping her hand into Alonzo's, she struggled against the panic. He clasped her hand in his sleep with a contented sigh, anchoring her to the present, but the feelings persisted. Julia glanced over to Bess, who was placidly watching the ferry slowly navigate the river, mindless of the doctor's distress.

Drawing a deep breath, Julia closed her eyes against the sight of her friends waving good-bye with smiles on their faces. It had been nearly a year since her abandonment and every good-bye, no matter how brief, still wrenched at her horribly. This was the continuing toll she paid when she sold her soul to the devil to save a little boy and the only true family she ever knew. For Julia, it was as if it had happened forever ago and yesterday……

_..with resolve borne of desperation she pressed the Seda-derm to the base of her skull to send the compound directly into her head. Rolling her shoulders and taking a deep sigh, Dr. Julia Heller felt the solution work its way into her system, tracking the tingling as it coursed through her veins. Smiling tightly to herself as the tingle faded to a ghost of a tickle, she rose and stealthily stole from the tent to contact Reilly..._

_Once she returned, Julia furtively hung back to watch the camp go about its work. She reveled in the sensations as her body teased her with its newfound sensitivity. She could smell the food being prepared on the other side of camp, hear conversations being conducted in low voices, feel the air as it hung all around them._

_Alonzo wandered by, carrying firewood and Julia could smell his musk as another feeling washed over her. She smiled privately as she watched the pilot easily walking around, his recovering muscles flexing readily. Her clothes brushed against her sensitized nerve endings, raising goosebumps all along her skin. Julia thrilled in the knowledge her experiment was going to work, and, with it, she would succeed in her objective._

_Eyeing the pilot once again, Julia ducked her head to consider her condition. She needed to celebrate her accomplishment, to celebrate life like she never had before. With him..._

_Alonzo entered his tent only to look blankly at her, confusion and insecurity dashing across his dark eyes closely followed by a hint of pleasure. She went to him, assured him as he assured her. His closeness made her heart race even faster -- the slightest brush of his lips sent electric shockwaves throughout her body. She possessively deepened his kiss, pulled him to her, urgently explored his body with her hands as she had wanted to do for weeks now but could never allow herself._

_Kneading, pulling, stroking..._

_A frustrated moan reverberated in her throat as he captured her wrists in his strong hands, pulling them away, slowing the tempo, taking the lead..._

_The next day, the confusion and embarrassment rapidly gave way to renewed determination, a corner of her mind distracted by the storm of emotions the pilot had unleashed, yet her objective was paramount. She rationalized, despite his protestations to the contrary, he was bound to have broken some hearts of his own during his long life. She could make amends later once her experiment was a success. Perhaps, he would even see her in a new light with her own terrian connection…_

_..she lay there, tethered to the cot as feelings washed over her. Feelings she never even knew she could experience came almost too easily, threatening to consume all that was Dr. Julia Heller. Her psyche caroming from guilt at what she had almost done to fear at what her punishment was to be to hatred towards Reilly, the Council and all they stood for to despair at the pain and betrayal in Alonzo's eyes._

_Outside the tent, she heard the angry voices, frequently rising to shouts, as Eden Advance decided her fate. Julia heard Morgan Martin's return and the temporary quiet as he related his part of the tale. She lay, shivering in fear, as the voices rose again, punctuated by Devon or John Danziger's occasional calls to order._

_A small portion of her mind instinctively analyzed her condition as hot tears slid down her cheeks to pool in her ears. That clinical part confirmed what Reilly had all ready suspected, that she was experiencing a toxic reaction to her experiment. That would account for her current emotional state, an emotional state she was supposed to be immune to due to her chromo-tilt. It would also account for her black-outs and carelessness. She continued to analyze her current position in an attempt to achieve some control over the one thing left she could hope to control -- herself._

_Julia slowed her breathing and tried to clear her mind. She gave up in despair as the shouting increased and 'if onlys' continued to float to the surface of her mind. Listening intently, she could separate different voices. Yale's calm, stern voice -- Walman interrupting excitedly -- Bess piercing the pauses, bringing about even more heated discourse. As fear once again gripped her, Julia tested her snug tethers only to lie back helplessly. Outside, the group was calling for Alonzo._

_Julia listened as Devon could be heard calling Alonzo from his tent to join the group assembled around the campfire. She heard his solemn voice briefly fill the silence that had fallen. Julia could hear the despair in his voice and felt the tears begin anew. She cried until sleep claimed her into its welcoming grasp..._

_Julia awoke to silence._

_A silence she was unaccustomed to whether it be the barely audible thrum of the Stations, or the noises a camp of 16 people makes. It was light out, probably mid-morning, and not a sound. Her tethers were gone as were her monitors and medical gear. She rose carefully, reeling sideways, her head still feeling the aftereffects of the previous day, and found herself alone._

_Totally alone._

_Abandoned._

_Julia swallowed reflexively, staggered backwards and sat down hard as the reality of her punishment struck her._

_Without the comforting presence of humanity, the woodland sounds seemed closer._

_'They probably are closer without a large group of humans to scare them away' the rational part of her mind reminded her._

_Julia crept backwards until her back was in the tent door, her eyes scanning the woods for animals. She turned her options over in her mind._

_Should she contact Reilly?_

_She couldn't bring herself to contact Reilly. Her communication devices had been well hidden before she was discovered but she would not allow him to find Uly. She could only begin to imagine what he would do to the boy but she knew without a doubt that Reilly would kill anyone who stood in his way. Devon. Danziger._

_Alonzo._

_And what if he discovered Alonzo's ties to the terrians? He would surely be sacrificed for the Council's greater good as well. No, she could not contact Reilly._

_Could she follow Eden Advance?_

_They certainly needed her skills as a doctor. Yet, how would they react if they realized she was following them? Julia could not imagine any of them doing anything dire to her, but then she remembered all the angry voices the night before and shuddered. All any of them knew was that she was a Council spy._

_What were her other options?_

_Her head hurt, her mind reeled. The sounds became closer, louder. In her periphery, she could see creatures. Small creatures. And very large, dangerous looking creatures. She turned her head and they were gone, moving into the shadows only to appear again when she was not watching for them. Julia drew her knees to her chest and hugged them tight. She watched everywhere and nowhere, rocking involuntarily as the fear took control…_

_Julia awoke with a start and glanced around frantically. The day was gone; she sat in darkness. She could hear the distinctive whine of an approaching vehicle with her augmented hearing. Light sliced through the forest in the distance, bouncing off the ground and trees._

_Whoever they were, they were approaching her. Whoever they were, they knew where she was._

_She watched the dancing lights with growing dread. The whine grew louder, making her head hurt even more, the lights pierced her retinas, burning her eyes. Voices filled her head._

_Accusing._

_Threatening._

_She tried to run but her legs failed her. As they drew closer, Julia half-crawled into the nearby brush, crouching low, frozen with fear._

_The vehicle halted near the tent and a tall figure sprang from it, grabbing a Mag-Pro. The figure ran to the tent, throwing open the door. Julia shrank back further into the bushes. Whoever it was was shouting now._

_Screaming her name._

_Julia's shaking intensified. Petrified, she huddled even lower, almost falling as the tremors took control of her body. An involuntary sob escaped her lips and the figure froze, looking in her direction._

_"Julia?" the large man asked softly. He approached slowly as a small voice in her head commanded her to rise._

_Julia's eyes widened when she realized it was Alonzo. As the moonlight reflected in his eyes, she saw his fear and concern for her as he slid the weapon to the ground while he drew near. Wordlessly, he gently gathered her into the comforting embrace of his arms. No longer able to support her own weight, Julia's legs crumpled under her as Alonzo held her, supporting her with his body as well as his soul, whispering comforting nonsense words as she huddled against him senselessly._

_Some time later, Julia found herself lying on her cot, still cradled in Alonzo's embrace. She could feel his steady heartbeat, the rise and fall of his chest. He sat, gently stroking her head, repeatedly whispering reassurance._

_"You came back for me..." she whispered wonderingly._

_"Yes, yes, now shhhh... Everything's gonna be ok," he soothed. "Everything's ok."_

_"Why?" She clung tighter when she felt him draw back a bit to better look at her. "Don't leave me!"_

_"I'm not gonna leave you," he replied gently. "I came back because I care about you."_

_"Are you sure it's safe to feel that way?"_

_He cupped her chin, turning her head to face him. Tenderly, he wiped the tear sliding down her cheek away with a finger. He smiled at her then and her heart leapt at the promise in his intent gaze. "I had to come back; I never should have left. I thought I lost you..." he whispered earnestly as he bent to kiss her forehead._

_Julia reached up, grasping his hair, and pulled him to her lips. They kissed, Julia holding Alonzo there, instinctively seeking comfort, hoping the emotions would sweep all the hurt away. Capturing her hands, Alonzo drew back as Julia tried in vain to pull him even closer._

_"Shhhh... It's ok. I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere." He gently held her away as she struggled. "No, Julia. This isn't right. You aren't yourself right now." Alonzo drew Julia tightly to his chest, smothering the sobs that wracked her body. She clung to him as if to a lifeline, crying all the sorrow and frustration of her life out in a torrent of tears. Alonzo sat and rocked slowly, serenely stroking Julia's back, unsure what else to do. Eventually, spent from her exertions, she quieted and slept..._

--end Part 22--


	23. Chapter 23

Part 23

_Julia started awake only to fall back into the bed, curling into a tight ball as her world reeled. Clasping her head firmly, she covered her eyes with her palms to blot out the light while she gathered herself with a soft moan. Beat by agonizing beat, punctuated by sparks which flared behind her eyelids, her head matched the pounding staccato of her heart. Peeling one hand away, she squinted defensively against the light as she cautiously peeked at her surroundings._

_She was in her cot. _

_Alone. _

_"Alonzo?" More a plea than a summons, it came out as barely a whisper. _

_Could his return have been just a dream?_

_As the sudden rush of adrenaline chased the fog from her head, the sweet smell of leather drew her attention to where the pilot's flight jacket had been draped across her and tucked under her chin. Trying to maintain self-control, she repeatedly reminded herself Alonzo would never have left it – it was a prized possession and must have cost him a small fortune since it was genuine leather. Fighting the panic, she clasped it to her as she sat up abruptly. The sudden movement proved too much for her, however, and she soon found herself clinging to the edge of the cot, voiding her stomach. _

_The unexpected feel of a hand stroking her back while another gathered her hair out of the way caused her to jump defensively._

_"No!"_

_In response, Alonzo rocked back onto his heels just clear of the small puddle of bile, his brow creased with concern. When one hand came to rest on the cot edge, Julia's hand shot out to grab his wrist in a vice of desperation._

_"Don't… Please."_

_He blinked and gave her an easy smile as he patiently extricated himself. "You're up early. I thought you'd sleep a little longer." His smiled broadened as he eased himself onto the bed to sit next to her. "You know, if this keeps up, we're gonna have to talk about these mornings after. I'm gonna get a complex."_

_Julia looked at him blankly for a moment before color flushed across her pale face. The kindness and concern in his eyes embarrassed her. Before she could turn away, he slid his arm around her back and silently encouraged her to him. Her head still pounding, she relented and sagged against his chest, finding solace in the simple human contact._

_"I suppose now isn't a good time to ask if you'd like some breakfast?"_

_He gave her a light squeeze in support as she moaned her reply._

_"How are you feeling?"_

_She shook her head against him. "I don't know," she mumbled into his shirt. "It's all just a jumble." Tears stung her eyes while she tried to sort herself out._

_"I guess the terrians give one hell of a hangover…" Feeling the growing dampness on his chest, he encircled her with his other arm. "You gonna be ok?"_

_"I can't say for sure without my diaglove, but I think it's starting to wear off."_

_"Yeah, but are you gonna be ok?"_

_She drew her hand across her eyes then ran it through her hair. Looking up at him, she asked, "What do we do now?"_

_He shrugged and answered simply, "We go back."_

_"Back? Back where?"_

_"To Eden Advance."_

_"No. I can't."_

_"Of course you can."_

_"Alonzo… I--"_

_"Julia," He took her chin and gently tipped her head to face him. "they'll take you back. Really. Trust them."_

_His conviction made her want to believe, but she couldn't allow herself to set herself up like that, especially not now. She shook her head in denial. "Right now, I'm not sure I can trust myself."_

_"Do you trust me?" His eyebrows lifted with a touch of encouragement while he waited._

_A smile slowly crept across her face. She nodded shyly._

_"I trust you," he pointed out confidently._

_She snorted in reply. Suddenly sobering, he thoughtfully considered her for a long moment. She shifted nervously under his scrutiny, only relaxing when he smoothed her back reassuringly._

_"Julia," He bowed his head and licked his lips before facing her again. "I'm sorry."_

_"For what?"_

_"The other day, I made a promise to you—"_

_"A promise?" The guilt nearly overwhelmed her. "I… I don't remember--"_

_He drew her to him, whispering into her hair, "That doesn't matter -- I do -- and I really meant it. I'm so sorry you had to go through this alone. Maybe things would have been different if I'd been there for you…"_

_After a moment of silence, she offered in a small voice, "I feel like the least I owe you is an explanation."_

_"You don't owe me anything. That's all done now."_

_"Alonzo, it's not that easy."_

_"Yes, it is."_

_Yielding to his determination, she fell silent. Reluctantly pushing herself up, she faced him then. "What about us?"_

_"What about us?"_

_She looked at him intently, seeking the answers in his eyes. Julia wasn't sure she wanted the answer but desperately needed to know._

_Idly sweeping the hair from her face, he serenely met her direct gaze. "Let's just take it as it comes. As long as we're honest with each other, no matter what, nothing can really hurt us."_

_"Is that the fly-boy approach?"_

_He shook his head. "Nah, that's my approach." _

_"Alonzo… I'm sorry, too." When he quirked his eyebrows at her, she asked, "Can you ever forgive me?"_

_He gathered her to his chest once more, resting his chin on her head. "I all ready have…" _

_They ventured west, hoping to meet up with the larger group. Julia was reticent but Alonzo believed in them as much as he did her, so she nervously went along, putting all her faith in him. The jerky motion of the ATV caused them to stop often the first few hours, but the fresh air helped clear her head. By midday, Julia felt almost human. When they caught up with the main group, she was surprised to see they had waited for them. Hunched on the back of the small vehicle, she gratefully allowed Alonzo to take the lead as she prepared herself to face her friends across a chasm greater than the forty meters which physically separated them – face the mistrust, anger, betrayal and could it be a glimmer of relief?_

_When the Z.E.D. attacked, she recognized once and for all her place on this planet and only hoped it wasn't too late to reclaim it. She realized at that moment she had known all along what her choice needed to be, but nearly losing it all had been her epiphany…_

_Julia awoke slowly, the ache in her wrist a dull reminder of what had transpired the night before, and the night before that. The mid-morning sun filtered through the med-tent. She sat up, testing her wrist and __head. The aftereffects of her terrian DNA experiment were still working their way through her system. Her mind still felt somewhat detached – her nerves somewhat frayed._

_On the med-table, Alonzo slept quietly in the reassuringly predictable, odd way of his, his chest slowly rising and falling, his palms pressed flat to the table. Despite surgery which took nearly the entire allotted hour just to remove the bullet and then even more time to close, he had determinedly stayed with her as much as he was able the day before, only finally going to bed when Devon privately intervened and, at that, soliciting Walman's help to hop onto the med-table with a look which dared anyone to question him. The young doctor was relieved to find him still there and even more so that he appeared to be resting comfortably. A shiver coursed through her with the memory of the final agonizing minutes before the worm bullet came free in her hand. _

_Julia quietly crept to Alonzo's side and ran a scanner over him, noting the results with satisfaction. Her diaglove lay on the table next to her, useless until her wrist healed within the next day or_ _so. The Z.E.D. had broken it quite severely and she would have to be patient._

_She sat quietly, watching Alonzo sleep as she listened to the camp quietly attending to their tasks. Most of the camp was probably still asleep from the excitement the previous evening or recovering from injuries sustained in the attack. Julia frowned to herself. She knew she should check on the others; check Yale and Danziger. Yet, a small part of her feared leaving the tent. While she had been accepted back into the group, she knew that it was not with wholehearted agreement. Her presence for the time being was tenuous._

_Julia simply knew she could not face them right now with her nerves so incredibly exposed -- feeling feelings this intense for the first time in her life. Feelings she was supposedly skewed not to experience, at least not anywhere near the extreme degree she had since conducting her experiment. _

_Julia certainly always had feelings – at times it was all she could do to keep them in check. As much as her genes had been skewed to best serve the Council, Mother Nature would not be denied. Despite the chromo-tilt and a lifetime of indoctrination, Julia was foremost a human, with all the frailties that entailed. She had learned early to not show that side of her if for no other reason than because, whenever she slipped out from behind the dispassionate mask and exhibited compassion, her mother would derisively call her 'Sweet Julia' – a nickname Reilly capitalized on more than once. To them, it was a sign of weakness but she was now beginning to understand it was also a source of strength._

_Julia wasn't feeling particularly strong now, however. Here, in the med-tent with Alonzo, she felt safe. And, right now, she needed that comfort, the cushion against the world which seemed to have crumbled all around her except for the one small corner he occupied. When his arm slipped from the bed to dangle at his side, she took his hand and lifted his arm back onto the bed, sliding her hand into his as she watched and waited quietly. She started as the tent flap rustled behind her, followed by Devon's voice._

_"Julia? Oh good, you're awake. May I come in?"_

_The young doctor regarded Devon for a moment shyly then nodded as she slipped her hand free. Silently, she watched Devon approach and pull a crate over to sit next to her._

_"How is Alonzo doing?" Devon asked in a hushed voice._

_Julia relaxed slightly, welcoming the opportunity to discuss a neutral subject. She turned toward the pilot and adopted her clinical mode as she explained, "He's doing fine. The worm bullet bored into the center of his femur and I wasn't able to catch up with it until it was almost at the neck. As long as he's quiet until I can repair it, he should be fine in a couple days. I'm a little worried he might snap it if he puts too much stress on it. Hopefully, I'll be able to administer the bone healer tomorrow when my wrist should be healed. I'll need to have full use of both hands as well as the diaglove." She hesitantly turned towards Devon. "I'd like to check on John and Yale," she added hopefully._

_Devon nodded. "They're both sleeping; I just came from checking in on John. True's watching him closely. I wanted to see how the both of you were feeling." Devon dipped her head to see into the doctor's eyes but was frustrated in her effort as Julia continued to avert her gaze._

_She glanced back to Alonzo as the pilot shifted his weight and one arm slid from the table onto the doctor's leg. Noticing he had begun to dream, Julia carefully replaced the arm once again and rose to drape a blanket over the man, firmly tucking the edges around him. She briefly scanned him then turned to log the readouts._

_Devon watched the doctor's back as she worked, wondering how she could reach the young woman. She had not yet been able to forgive her for what she had done, but she now understood what Julia had done for Uly. Alonzo had insisted he ride back to camp with Devon, Julia and Danziger in the DuneRail and had explained everything. After her brief exposure to Reilly, Devon appreciated what Julia had been contending with in secret all this time. Especially after everything that had transpired the day before, it was only a matter of time, Devon knew, for her trust in Julia to re-establish itself._

_The blankets rustled next to Devon, drawing her attention, as Alonzo shifted again with a sigh, his eyes and brows flickering an uneven beat as he began to toss restlessly. Julia turned to see Devon lean forward, watching Alonzo intently as he dreamed. She walked back to her seat and sat next to him again._

_"I know you've seen him dream before, but you've never seen him have one this active, have you?"_

_Devon shook her head slowly, thinking of Uly and his future with the terrians._

_Julia considered the nervous mother for a moment and very briefly met her eyes. "Alonzo is under the impression Uly's experience will be different. Of course, we won't know until it happens but there is some comfort in that. I'm not sure how it happened, but Alonzo is quite well adjusted to this." She looked at the dreaming pilot and smiled softly. "Except when he falls out of bed."_

_Devon found herself smiling with the doctor as they sat quietly._

_Alonzo suddenly jerked awake, coming up onto his elbows and looking around blindly. Reason rapidly returned and his breathing slowed. He blinked at the doctor and lay back calmly, shifting his right leg uncomfortably._

_"I can't give you another pain-blocker for a while, I hope you aren't too uncomfortable," Julia told Alonzo apologetically._

_"It doesn't hurt too much," Alonzo mumbled sleepily._

_Julia tipped her head to look at the pilot as she smoothed his hair, watching his eyes droop. "You had a dream, Alonzo." He nodded acknowledgement as she continued, "You were quite active this time. It may be aggravating the discomfort. Was it a bad dream?"_

_He shook his head. "Two moons crossing……"_

"JULIA!"

Snapping out of her reverie, the doctor looked around wildly. On the opposite shore they were all clustered together, shouting and waving towards the ferry. Below her, she noticed with alarm Bess rushing downhill towards the landing.

With a log jammed against its bow, the raft was twisted in its moorings with the DuneRail canted at an odd angle half on the raft and half in the water. Julia could see Danziger straining to lift at the frame while Zero was steadily rounding the scaffold as he marched towards the DuneRail. Bolting to her feet, she could see Baines straining to hold Cameron's head above the water where he lay partially under the vehicle. Without a backwards glance, the doctor grabbed her small kit and raced down the hill.

ooooooooooooooo

Dozing under the protective boughs of the tree with a gentle breeze caressing him as the sun began its slow descent, Alonzo couldn't seem to get warm enough. His body craved heat. In preparation for the river crossing, everyone had dressed in the bare minimum so they wouldn't be weighed down in case they fell into the water; Julia had left him in just a light t-shirt and shorts underneath the covering of blankets. A warm gust across his cheek drew him toward it. Another gust awoke him as he wrinkled his nose against the overpowering stench only to find a grendler eagerly leaning over him in anticipation.

Seeing the pilot finally awake, the grendler excitedly pantomimed its desire to trade. Glancing around nervously with one eye on the creature, the pilot was bewildered to find neither woman was nearby. Unable to see past the grendler crowding at his side, he couldn't know if Morgan had gone off with the women or not. With no response to his calls and the grendler demanding his attention, he took a deep, calming breath then uneasily freed his arms from under the blankets to signal -- palms up, expansively -- he had nothing to trade. The grendler would not be so denied. It bounced on the balls of its feet, its hands gesturing wildly at the pilot.

Alonzo apprehensively watched the grendler's display, trying to understand why it was so agitated. "I don't have anything. What do you want?"

Impetuously, the grendler thumped him on the chest. The blows, while still somewhat muffled by the pile of blankets, knocked the wind from him, leaving him gasping for breath.

Growing impatient with the human, the grendler grabbed the blankets, ripping them off the pilot and throwing them to the ground at its feet. It easily flipped the protesting pilot side to side to look under him, ignoring the bellows of pain coming from the human. Not finding anything there, the grendler then turned its attention to the blankets, flinging each one through the air as it searched fruitlessly.

While the grendler had its back turned to rummage through his blankets, Alonzo took the opportunity to look for help. He tried to call out again, but his typically soft voice was still far too weak to carry against the wind. Turning from the blankets, the grendler then upended the cot, roughly throwing the pilot facedown onto the roots of the tree. Not finding anything under the cot, it flung it aside as it advanced eagerly towards the unmistakable aroma rising towards it on invisible eddies.

Dazed and hurt, Alonzo struggled to get his hands under him. Biting back the pain, he tried to lift himself off the ground, to drag himself away from the determined creature. His eyes watered from his throbbing nose. Suddenly, he could see the sun blocked all around him by something large, felt the cool on his back, and then noticed a large pelt wrapped foot swim into view next to him. Looking up, he blinked the grendler into focus in time to see its ears come forward and its eyes dilate before he noticed the warm fluid trickling over his upper lip, the tang on his tongue as he licked a droplet dangling precipitously. Looking down, Alonzo was dismayed to see a small crimson puddle forming, drip by drip.

Unable to support himself any longer, the pilot's arm buckled under him, leaving him lying on his side, staring up at the creature. Caught helplessly, his other arm soon betrayed him as well. He struggled to face his fate directly.

Swaying slightly, the grendler squatted next to him, eyeing him cautiously. Ribbons of slobber fell in sheets before separating into strands which reached up from the ground to pool at its feet. The creature pulled at its ear as it curiously wiped the pilot's nose, then brought the substance to its lips.

Trying to keep the blood out of view, Alonzo turned his head down and away from the creature. Unsure how it would react, he tensed as he tried to watch it from the corner of his eye. The grendler closed its eyes in ecstasy as it tasted the blood. It shuffled closer on its haunches, pushing at the pilot to roll over.

In the tight space between them, Alonzo kept his face averted as he desperately signaled the universal sign for 'give and take' – that he wished to parley.

The grendler snorted. It wanted more and the human seemed to be in no shape to refuse it. It was impatient and now, with the taste of it on its lips, it was done negotiating.

ooooooooooooooo

--end Part 23--


	24. Chapter 24

_My deepest, heartfelt apologies for the delay -- suffice to say, it was totally unavoidable._

_And, now back to Earth2..._

Part 24

ooooooooooooooo

"Zero, HURRY UP! Lift it!"

John's muscles strained under the weight of the vehicle, he struggled to stay upright in the current. His feet kept sliding away from him on the slippery stones, his biceps and thighs burned from the effort. Cameron's flailing hand caught his leg, throwing off his balance; the engineer's fingers desperately bored into his calf, adding to John's urgency while reassuring him the man was still conscious. He could hear the engineer gulping breaths and gurgling water next to him.

Her eyes wild, Bess appeared at his side with Julia splashing up behind her. Just then, the rear of the DuneRail rose straight into the air, sending Baines splashing onto his back with Cameron on top of him.

"I have it, sir," Zero sing-songed.

"Put the vehicle on the ramp. Make sure the raft is secure to the ATV," John ordered tersely while he grabbed Cameron and, with a quick hand up, helped Baines drag him onto the beach.

Slipping on her diaglove, Julia knelt next to the gagging engineer. "Help me roll him onto his side, we need to clear this water before he aspirates any more. What happened?"

"We were loading the 'Rail and the raft suddenly swung out from under it. It knocked him over and landed on him. Is he gonna be all right?"

Scrutinizing her diaglove, Julia nodded. "Nothing's broken… It looks like it more pinned him than landed on him," she noted with relief. "He swallowed quite a bit of water – it appears his laryngeal reflex closed his windpipe before he aspirated much more than a few c.c.s. I'll need to monitor him closely for a few days, but otherwise he should have little more than bruising. Cameron?"

Her only response was a hacking cough as Cameron struggled to his elbows. Danziger quickly moved his feet back while supporting Cameron's shoulders where he half lay, half knelt in the sand when the engineer started to vomit frothy water. John watched Julia lightly massage the man's back while she started scanning again with her other hand.

Baines leaned next to the mechanic. "I'll go make sure the raft is secure." As Cameron retched again, he wrinkled his nose and quickly strode away.

"You sure he's gonna be ok, Doc?" Danziger asked dubiously. He watched Cameron wheeze uncontrollably with concern.

"Let him catch his breath; he should be fine in a few minutes. While there's a slight risk of secondary drowning or pneumonia, it's minimal with the amount of water involved; I'll need to keep him in the med-tent with me until the danger has passed, just to be sure."

"OH NO!" Where she crouched at Danziger's elbow, Bess' eyes grew wide as she looked over Julia's shoulder, her mouth frozen in an 'o' momentarily before she jumped to her feet to scramble in a beeline for the scaffold. Grabbing up the Mag-Pro where it leaned against it, she swung the weapon to her shoulder and aimed uphill towards the tree while the others anxiously looked to her then uphill with consternation.

ooooooooooooooo

The grendler shuffled closer to Alonzo. Unwilling to look away, the pilot stared back at it -- their eyes locked -- as it menacingly loomed over him. Frozen in place, he waited for it to make its next move, knowing it may be his last.

A branch above them suddenly exploded into deadly splinters, the largest piece barely missing Alonzo as it swished to the ground to bounce in a cascade of leaves and kindling. The grendler jumped out of the way in time to avoid being hit only to charge through the tangle of boughs to reach the pilot.

Bess' shot had hit its target. As the branch crashed down to the ground, everyone on both sides of the river diverted their attention to the top of the knoll in time to see the grendler dive into the mass of boughs at the base of the tree.

"Grendler!"

Standing abruptly at the sight of the creature, John glanced quickly over his shoulder as Baines ran up to brush alongside him, a Mag-Pro dangling from his hand.

"Here, give me that!" he growled as he grabbed the weapon and armed it in one fluid motion before aiming it towards the top of the knoll. Following the action through the sight, he tried to get a good bead on the grendler, but the creature was squatting behind Alonzo amidst the rustling foliage and there was no way to assure a clean shot. Snorting in frustration, he turned to Baines. "Stay with Cameron!" He cradled the weapon as they ran uphill towards the pilot, hoping to reach him before the grendler caused any harm.

With no other cover in sight, Alonzo seized the opportunity to scramble under the branches as the ungainly creature tried to follow him through the tangle. He grunted as he rolled under the thickest branch, then paused to figure out where the grendler was. Voices calling his name distracted him momentarily. When he hesitated, a hand reached through the brush, grabbing him by the thigh and twisting him awkwardly. Arching his back in agony, Alonzo hammered at the hand with both fists as he was dragged bodily from his refuge.

Easily fending off the blows, the grendler hunkered down low and swayed side to side in excitement. It brushed a spray of leaves aside to swipe some more blood off Alonzo's upper lip, smacking its mouth ecstatically as it savored the precious fluid. Scrabbling for his life, Alonzo rolled and grabbed at the tree's roots. He kicked up and back as his fingers dug into the soft soil. Gripping the human's knee, the grendler easily flipped him over to face him then drew him closer as it bent low for more.

A lance of pain seared through the pilot as he landed on his back with a thud. His arms contracted spasmodically to his body as his head reared back. He tried to kick again but his free leg would only uselessly flop sideways.

Alonzo fought to focus on the grendler squatting over him as a long, narrow tunnel closed in around them, isolating them from the rest of the world; he vaguely noticed everything had developed a grey aura as the grendler loomed closer. Blood rushing through his ears drowned out the frantic shouts from his friends. Effectively immobilized, Alonzo found himself once again an unwilling, defenseless spectator as the grendler leaned close one last time. Suddenly, a sharp jolt struck Alonzo's leg as, simultaneously, the grendler jumped, squealing, through the tunnel towards the pilot, blotting out the light and leaving him in darkness.

Reinforcements arrived just in time to see the grendler charge with a screech from the brush into the meadow beyond, flipping Alonzo over as its feet tangled with the pilot's limbs before scrambling free of

the brush and into the nearby woods.

Julia dove into the mass of branches while John and Bess flung them aside out of the way. "Alonzo? Alonzo!" She bent low to quickly scan him before he could be moved.

Alertly searching the area for the creature, Danziger hovered over them with his Mag-Pro humming. The pilot moaned softly next to him, his arms drifting protectively to his torso. He tried to roll away, to curl against the peril, but Julia stayed him with a hand on his arm as she murmured reassurances,

As her hand touched him, the pilot's reaction was instantaneous. Barely semi-conscious, he lashed out blindly, kicking and hitting anything or one within his reach. Julia fell backwards from an unexpected blow, bringing the other two rushing in to help her. As she sat up, she saw John throw down the weapon to clutch Alonzo tightly to his chest from behind, pinning the pilot's arms to his sides before he hurt himself any further while Bess circled the branches to crouch over the pilot.

Cupping his head in her hands, Bess stroked Alonzo's cheek gently with her thumbs as he twisted in the big mechanic's grip. "Alonzo, wake up. It's us. It's Bess. Julia's right here. Alonzo, you're safe."

"You ok, Doc?" Danziger ground out through gritted teeth. He was visibly wrestling to contain the hyperventilating pilot as he continued to buck against the restraint.

Alonzo's body was bowed in the mechanic's grasp, straining first in one direction and then the other. His eyes were unseeing voids of pure panic, pure instinctive survival reflex and nothing else.

"I'm fine." Julia crawled over to him, taking over from Bess. "John, relax your grip; he may be reacting to that."

"I don't know if I can," John answered as he swung his head back and out of the way again as the pilot reared into him yet again.

Alonzo suddenly crumpled, pulling Danziger off balance. Narrowly missing a branch with his cheek, John caught himself on his elbow with the trembling pilot still in his arms. He sat up and gently repositioned Alonzo so Julia could check on him. Drawing the back of his hand across his lips, he noticed a smear of blood. Dabbing his lip again, he felt the first sensations of swelling on his lip.

Julia narrowed her eyes when she noticed the blood. "Are you ok?" she asked him worriedly.

"Yeah. Musta split my lip. How's 'Lonz?" He could feel the pilot limply gasping for air, his heart still pounded frantically.

The doctor turned her attention to the pilot. She was relieved to see he had begun to quiet in Danziger's arms. Alonzo's head lolled to one side, his eyes squeezed tight, his hands loosely balled and drawn up to his chest. Stroking his head, she saw him flinch and then still as he gradually relaxed.

"Alonzo, it's Julia. The grendler is gone. Please lie still so I can scan you." As she began to examine him, Julia instructed, "Bess, pinch his nose right here. Not too much pressure. Alonzo?"

Alonzo continued to relax as he faded towards oblivion once more. When Danziger repositioned himself to better support him, his head tipped back onto the mechanic's shoulder as he sagged heavily into his embrace. With one eye on her patient, Julia continued to wave the diagnostic device over him, watching the readouts with concern. The pilot moaned softly as he shifted his legs. Looking down, Julia noticed a welt growing on his exposed thigh. Touching it gently, she saw him recoil in pain.

"Oww," he protested as he pulled his leg away. His eyes fluttered open then looked around hazily. "What happened?"

"Is he ok?" a small voice drifted over from behind a small bough.

As they all looked over in surprise, with a rustle of leaves, Morgan Martin peeked around from where he lay on his stomach nearby. He struggled up to a sitting position to hug his wife as she scrambled over to him with a relieved sob.

Julia sat back on her heels. "Yes, aside from some minor injuries, he appears to be fine. He has a localized burn on his leg…" She shook her head in confusion.

"Sorry, Alonzo, I thought I missed you."

Bess looked fondly at her husband as she stroked his head. "Missed him with what, Morgan?"

When everyone looked expectantly at him, Morgan suddenly looked embarrassed. "I turned my EMS unit on full strength and threw it at the grendler."

"That's why it ran off?" Danziger chuckled at the improbability. "You gave it a hot seat?"

"Yeah, I guess…"

With Julia and Danziger's help, Alonzo was struggling to sit up on his own. Stiffly leaning on one hand with Julia supporting the majority of his weight, he delicately rubbed his thigh just above the rapidly growing welt. "If it hurt like this, I doubt it'll go near any humans for a while. Thanks, Morgan."

Morgan grinned. "That's what friends are for."

Looking off into the distance, John shook his head as he rose from behind Alonzo to answer the insistent chime on his gear. Pacing away, he answered it to explain the turn of events and report all was well. Once everyone on the other side of the river was reassured, he checked on Cameron before turning to return to the tree.

As his eyes wandered the meadow, a flash of light drew his attention. His interest piqued, he followed the sparkle to its source. Drawing close, he found Morgan's EMS unit sputtering in the grass. Delicately picking it up, he held it out and down while he turned it off then, as soon as it was neutralized, he examined it thoughtfully. The leads were all blackened with soot at the end with a touch of ash flaking along their edges. He fanned them out on the ground and turned the unit on low, watching speculatively as it powered up only to smile to himself as it responded as it had been programmed. It hadn't been lost to them after all. Turning it off again, he scooped the unit up and popped it into his pocket. With some minor tests and adjustments, he could have it back on Morgan by nightfall.

As he strode back to the others, John saw Bess trotting down the hill toward the launch. Returning to crouch down next to Julia, the mechanic could see Alonzo was all ready beginning to nod off as the pilot sagged heavily against the doctor.

Nodding towards Alonzo, John asked Julia, "You're sure he's gonna be ok?" He uneasily noticed how the pilot didn't acknowledge his presence as he lightly dozed where he sprawled in her lap. Off a silent nod from the doctor, John gently helped her ease him flat onto the ground. "Where's Bess off to?"

Preoccupied with the pilot, Julia absently explained, "She went to get some water to cool this burn. Everything I need is on the other side of the river. He should be fine -- the adrenaline is wearing off. We're definitely not travelling tomorrow?"

The mechanic shook his head. "No, I figured we should take the time to pack everything up right. Even after this long wait, there's no sense in rushing things."

"Good. After all the excitement, both he and Cameron could use the day to rest and it would be easier for me to monitor them in camp."

John ran his fingers through his hair as he pensively watched the doctor work. Looking down the hill, he could see Baines standing next to Cameron. The engineer sat on one of the ATV's tires, his elbows on his knees; his head hung between his hunched shoulders as he clasped his hands together. Shaking his head, Danziger looked at Alonzo's ashen face then to Julia.

"Doc, should they be travelling? Maybe we should wait until they're ready."

"No. They should be fine. A day's rest should be sufficient. I'll give them both a thorough examination once we get them across the river, but I don't anticipate any major issues. Cameron should be fine, but I don't want him left alone for a minute in case complications occur. I'll be keeping him in the med-tent overnight for the next few days. As far as Alonzo's concerned, even with this setback, he should be all set to travel once we're ready."

"If you're sure…" He searched her face to be sure of her words; something in her expression served to satisfy him, so he relented. Noticing the lengthening shadows, he tipped his chin toward the distant shore. "I guess we should finish getting everyone across. I had planned for Baines to take the 'Rail over – it just fits on the boat, so it would be easier to have a driver onboard. I guess someone can climb in once it gets there. It's either that or send Zero over."

"Bess and I can take it over," Morgan offered.

John looked over at the liaison in surprise. In the excitement, he had momentarily forgotten the man was sitting nearby. "You sure?"

"Yeah. It's not like Julia has to watch me or anything. I'm sure Bess won't mind."

Sliding on his sunglasses, Danziger grinned before remarking, "You know, Martin, you surprise me sometimes." Tipping his head to peer over the shades, he looked at the liaison through his mass of curls before adding sincerely, "And, hey, good job with that grendler."

As much as he was surprised by the unexpected praise, Morgan was too busy worrying to respond to the mechanic. He was terrified of the river or, more importantly, taking a strung together collection of logs across it. The errant log from his VR program had materialized to nearly kill Cameron. While the raft had handled the water well and not shown any signs of instability, he wondered if it would be a good time to tell them about the sharks which had also cropped up during test simulations. His Adam's apple bobbed at the memories.

ooooooooooooooo

--end Part 24--


	25. Chapter 25

Part 25

ooooooooooooooo

Morgan gripped the frame of the DuneRail tightly as he stared at the secured forward ramp. The raft rode low with the weight of the vehicle; it drifted along its guides, softly undulating in the current with occasional discernable tugs from the TransRover. When Morgan designed and tested his VR program, he never factored in being stuck sitting in the passenger seat of a vehicle with no means of seeing over the rail. The sensation was totally foreign to him – he found not being able to see what was happening incredibly disturbing. The horizon dipped and swayed unpredictably beyond the raft making him wish he hadn't eaten lunch as his stomach began to churn. Morgan closed his eyes and drew some deeper breaths to ease the growing nausea. When he glanced over to his wife, Bess reassuringly rested her hand on his and smiled placidly. Drawing strength from her, he bleakly smiled back before focusing on the knotted wall of wood in front of him.

Once the DuneRail was across, they were going to wait for Alonzo's next dose of medication before moving Julia and her two patients next. Even with Danziger and Baines to watch over him, Morgan was worried about the pilot's safety with most of their group now unable to do more than watch from a distance. The raft scraped over a submerged obstacle, bringing Morgan's mind back to his own safety in a rush. A startled yelp escaped his throat when, with loud creaks and groans of protest, the raft hung, teetering at an odd angle for a moment, before the TransRover yanked it free. Water sloshed on the deck, chasing itself from one side of the raft to the other. Morgan closed his eyes again and tried to ignore the swishing sounds which echoed in his ears.

A loud thud startled the liaison, making his stomach lurch as the raft jolted forward with a rough grinding noise which vibrated through the frame of the vehicle. His heart hammering in his chest, his eyes flew open when the ramp suddenly gave way with a muffled whump and a splash. In the opening, Walman grinned back at him then gave Bess an enthusiastic thumbs up. Shooting his eyes heavenward, Morgan shared a relieved grin with everyone as they drove off the raft and onto the beach.

ooooooooooooooo

Slowly but surely, Alonzo's mind became aware of the smell of land water. Moss, peat, mud, vegetation, decay… It had to be the river. Realizing how many things he no longer had to see to identify, he idly mused how much he had learned during his year on the planet. That land water and sea water looked and smelled different. How to hunt, fish, track. How to anticipate a storm, choose a campsite, build a shelter, start a fire and cook over it. How to walk in snow, drive on ice, swim through water. Then there were the other things – that the rain, the snow and even the sun could feel so incredibly good or so unbelievably bad; that the touch of an alien species could become so indescribably significant to him he ached for it and so could the touch of one woman; that his beloved stars twinkled hello to him every night -- or was it goodbye?

His eyes closed, he allowed the soft lapping of water along the shore to lull him as he savored the warmth of the sun. Alonzo found himself half-sprawled on his side on a cushion of padding, his right arm and thigh carefully draped over the cushion to keep him stationary. A subtle shift of his weight to adjust a slight pull to his burnt leg proved to be a mistake -- his muscles had tightened since the grendler attack and he found himself excruciatingly sore. Panting through his nose, he rested his cheek on the cushion as he drowsily relaxed into it.

Calming his breathing. Alonzo could hear the murmur of voices nearby. Sleepily stealing a peek, he could see Julia just a few paces away next to the scaffold, sealing a cut on Danziger's swollen lip while Cameron watched curiously. The crunch of boots nearby alerted him to one other, probably Baines, since it was too heavy for Bess and Morgan had a pronounced limp with his cane.

The pilot loved to watch the doctor work. Even those times when she would profess her doubts, she had always been so self-assured while she worked; her hands deftly weaving their magic with tenderness and strength. Watching her work unguarded, he reflected how truly beautiful she was. He frowned to himself as he noticed the bloodstain on Danziger's shirt, the dried red trail through his stubble.

"John, what happened to you?" the pilot croaked, drawing startled attention from the three of them.

The mechanic exchanged an uneasy glance with Julia before she leaned toward the pilot.

"How are you feeling?"

With a reticent glance at the two men, he considered her question for a few minutes before responding with a frustrated grimace. "Everything hurts. Can't really move," he admitted to the doctor.

"You're probably going to be feeling the effects of the attack for a few days. You aggravated quite a few of your injuries. It's almost time for your next dose," she offered.

He nodded with a sigh. "What happened to you?" he directed at the mechanic.

Danziger shrugged noncommittally. "Got whacked a little while ago."

"By what?"

John evaded his scrutiny. "It was nothin'."

"John, hold still, I'm almost done sealing it," Julia commanded, earning meek compliance.

"It had to have been something…" the pilot observed skeptically as he began to weakly rise onto his elbow. "The grendler didn't come back, did it?" he asked anxiously.

Concentrating on staying still with Julia's diaglove hovering in front of his lip, Danziger grunted, "Unh, unh. Probably long gone."

"John…" Julia warned as she tried to keep her diaglove lined up. She cast a concerned eye in the pilot's direction, before turning her attention back to her current patient.

Alonzo noticed only Julia would meet his gaze and even she did so out the corner of her eyes while feigning attention to the mechanic's lip. He searched his memory for a hint of what they could possibly be hiding, coming to only one conclusion. "Did I do that to you?"

"No—"

"Yes," Julia ceded quietly, interrupting the mechanic's denial. "But, it was an accident. He was helping hold you and you threw your head back at the wrong moment."

Looking at the mechanic's face with dismay, Alonzo sank back into the bedding. "I'm sorry, John."

"'s ok. Don't worry about it 'Lonz."

"Yeah. Sure." He fell silent, closing his eyes in chagrin. He missed the concern exchanged between the three people watching him but that would only have added to his darkening mood.

"Once I'm done with John, I'll need to examine you again." Julia's voice drifted through the fog.

He nodded dispiritedly with a sigh.

His cheek pressed to the pillow, he opened his eyes again to pensively watch Julia work as he had so many times before. Despite his infirmities, he readily observed a subtle, uncharacteristic catch in her movement, a waver, a fumble. Her eyes continued to dart in his direction then back to John and Cameron. She should have been done by now but wasn't. Realizing his suspicions were correct, his heart sank while his mind whirled; why was she stalling? When the doctor rose and rounded to his side, Alonzo caught a glimpse of the side of her face she had been keeping from view. Reaching out a trembling hand when she drew near, he caught her chin and turned it so he could more clearly see the dark bruise along her jaw line. Julia dropped her eyes and gave the slightest resistance before allowing him to see it. While he delicately traced the greens, yellows and blues, she stayed stock still, watching closely as he contemplated the injury.

"Julia… Did I do this, too?"

Gathering his hand in hers, she looked directly at him then as she shook her head. "It was an accident. I got in the way. After everything you've been through, I should have known you'd be combative when you came up."

"But…" His eyes were locked onto the mark; he couldn't tear them away.

Tipping her head to get the bruise out of his line of sight, Julia protested, "Alonzo, you weren't even conscious. Please, don't blame yourself. It will be gone in a few days."

"It looks sore. I'm really sorry, Julia."

"It's ok." She squeezed his hand, raising her eyebrows as she leaned forward to sincerely stress, "It's really ok."

John interceded, "Alonzo, you know, it was our fault you were left open to that grendler attack in the first place. We should have known better."

"It was not your fault!"

"Yes, it was. We figured it'd be easier on you to move you later, without figuring we should have timed it so that we had enough reinforcements in case something happened. It works both ways. Let it go." He commanded sternly.

Alonzo's eyes drifted from the dark bruise to the comforting smile above it. Matching it with a hesitant one of his own, he nodded his understanding. When he saw Julia reach towards his neck with the derm-app, he tilted his head for her, heard the soft hiss and then felt nothing.

ooooooooooooooo

A tri-toned alert awoke Julia. The watch fire next to her tent threw just enough light to see her patients through the darkness. Two silhouettes drifted by just outside the tent; she could readily identify John and Walman keeping watch. After they had successfully crossed the river without any further incidents, Danziger had insisted the watch continue to be doubled, just to be sure. None of them knew whether grendlers could traverse the river or not and they vowed to not let their guard down for quite a while after the latest attack.

Julia silently rose, palming her prepared derm-app as she crossed to the pilot's cot. Peering through the gloom, she could see Cameron sleeping peacefully, his chest rising and falling slowly. The monitors beeped evenly in cadence with his breaths; his pulse-ox was at a comfortable saturation. Turning to the pilot, she could see him watching her approach.

"Did I wake you?"

"Nah, I was all ready up."

His voice had a distinct nasal quality to it and she noticed he was panting through his mouth. Julia scanned his chest thoroughly to ensure he had no further complications.

"Are you having trouble sleeping?"

"Seems to be all I do these days -- just woke up a little while ago."

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm ok. Head's still a little fuzzy. Hurts to breathe."

"You cracked a few ribs and you still have some swelling in your nasal cavity. How about your leg?" She drew the covers back to check the dressing.

"It's ok." His sudden intake of breath as she touched his leg drew a sheepish admission. "It still stings a bit."

"Alonzo, we've gone over this before, you have to let me know about any symptoms. We can't afford to not be proactive. Let me take a look at it."

Chastened, he gingerly slipped his hands behind his head to watch her closer while subtly shifting his leg to allow her better access. "Julia? Do you think the grendler will be ok?"

Switching on a lumalight next to the cot before removing the dressing, Julia frowned at the angry wound underneath. While it was small, perhaps the length and width of her thumb, the burn was deep. She had painstakingly scrubbed and debrided it as soon as they had moved the pilot into the med-tent yet, nearly twelve hours later, the edges still puckered a fierce crimson and serous fluid had continued to drain into the bandage. With such limited supplies and the unfamiliar microbes on the planet, she had made a policy early on to be as aggressive as possible with any health issues but especially infections. She made note she would have to follow this injury closely.

"There's no way of knowing," she admitted. "Grendlers typically have thicker skin than us and, unlike you, it was clothed where it was hit, so it may have been better able to withstand the shock. Let me get the salve."

Resignedly, he nodded mutely.

Returning to the cot, she injected an antibiotic into his thigh before gently applying a salve Gilbert had made for her onto the wound itself. Her nose and fingers tingled as soon as she opened the jar and scooped a small amount out. As the salve came in contact with his skin, Alonzo shivered at the sudden coolness.

"Are you cold?"

"Yeah, kinda. Just got a chill when you put that on me."

"Let me get you another blanket." She began to rise but felt a tug where Alonzo had latched onto her waistband.

"Wait."

Turning in surprise, she slid back into her seat at his side. Julia searched his face, her heart aching at the vulnerability he allowed her a glimpse of at that moment. "Alonzo, what is it?"

"Julia, I…" He looked away to lick his lips then try again once he had organized his thoughts, "I'm sorry… I know it's been hard on you -- the past few weeks." He released a breath of exasperation. "I'm sorry you had to go through it all -- because of me." His gaze was steady but uncertain.

Bowing her head, Julia took his hand in both of hers. "I'm just glad you're here safe with us." Her eyes softened. "I couldn't lose you -- ever." Smoothing his cheek, she sighed, knowing she needed to tend to the task at hand. "Here, let me prop you up a bit; it'll help you breathe easier." She gathered a bundle of padding from beside the cot and rose to help him lean forward.

Alonzo tried to help her maneuver his body but movement proved impossible; after laying still for so long after the attack, his muscles had knotted into position, protesting violently at the mere suggestion of movement. Closing his eyes tight, he groaned out loud as she boosted him a few centimeters. Once she quickly lowered him back to the bed, Alonzo panted against the pain, looking pleadingly at the doctor. "Can't I just stay like this for now?"

Julia shook her head. "You'll be able to breathe more comfortably if you're a little more upright. Besides, you've started to show signs of sores so we need to redistribute your weight as often as possible. Here, let me give you your medicine and then I can move you once you're asleep."

"I'd like to stay awake a little longer. Is it time yet?"

"Soon enough. I set the alarm to allow me a little time to check the both of you." She watched a silhouette drift by the tent. "Let me get Danziger. He's right outside."

Off the pilot's hesitant nod, she ducked out of the tent, returning a moment later with the mechanic in tow. While Alonzo miserably shut his eyes in distress, Julia directed John through the process of propping him with the least possible discomfort. The pilot clenched his teeth, fighting back the grunts of pain as his body was repositioned. In no time at all, they had him leaning on a ramp of padding. Alonzo rested heavily into the bedding as he gasped for breath; he struggled to get his bunching muscles to relax into the new position but nothing he did seemed to work. With the soft hiss of a derm-app, he could feel the tightness gradually ease and with it his breathing softened into a more settled rhythm. Alonzo directed an unspoken query in Julia's direction.

"A muscle relaxant," she explained. "Did it help?"

"Yeah, thanks."

Danziger crouched down low on the other side of the cot. The mechanic could feel for the pilot; he was a captive to his own body and everyone's whims until he was healed. While Alonzo had been good-natured about it up to this point, John knew he was much like himself, possessing a strong independent streak and enough pride to make the situation an inescapable personal ordeal. He knew it would take a concerted effort from the entire group to help the pilot cope as he healed.

John tried to keep things light to alleviate the awkwardness. "How're ya doin', 'Lonz?"

"Ok." The pilot looked down for a moment then over to the mechanic. "Thanks, John." He found it difficult to look at his swollen face. "How's your lip?"

"You have a pretty hard head, but I think I'll live." He nodded towards the door with his chin, his eyebrows waggling. "I'd better get back out there before Walman falls asleep on me."

Alonzo flashed the mechanic a lopsided grin in reply as John patted him on the shoulder on his way by.

As the mechanic left, Julia crouched down next to the pilot. "Alonzo, how are you? Really."

"I'm ok."

"You're sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure."

"We have a long road to get you healthy," she cautioned.

"Yeah, I know."

"It's going to be a lot of hard work…" she pressed. "Therapy…"

"What was that we were doing before?" he asked warily.

"An interlude... That was maintenance; now that you're stronger, the real work begins."

He chewed his lip as he earnestly looked up at her. "I figured as much."

"Alonzo, it won't be easy." She needed him to know – needed to impress on him what his immediate future held. Since she couldn't take the pain away she needed to at least make sure he was ready and see him through it no matter what the cost.

The pilot could see the worry glistening in her eyes -- he could see the fear behind her smile.

With a gleam in his eyes, Alonzo smiled readily as he offered, "You remember the day you healed my leg?"

She blinked at the change of subject, but couldn't help but feed off his lightening mood. Remembering that unforgettable day, her lips twitched, her eyes reflecting the sparkle in his own. "Yes. Of course. How could I forget all that yelling?" she chided teasingly.

He chuckled tightly as his ribs protested. "Remember what I told you then?"

"That I have a horrible bedside manner?"

His eyes widened in alarm. "No! That's not what I was talking about…"

With a furtive glance towards the other cot, Julia bent close to his ear to recollect, "That you have to kiss me?" She whispered so softly he could barely hear her. Her hand slipped behind his neck, tickling the short hairs there as she brushed his lips with hers.

He met her lips with his own as he looked dreamily into her eyes. Giving in to the sensations, he found himself getting dizzy, whether it was because of her or that he still couldn't breathe through his nose he didn't know or care. When they parted, he licked his lips, savoring her taste as she watched him from mere millimeters away.

"That wasn't it either…" he noted with a grin once he had caught his breath. "But, that's ok. I'm glad you remembered that!"

She laughed affectionately, her curiosity piqued. "What was it then?"

"That the meaner you are to me, the more I like you." By now his devilish smile was broad enough she could see his dimples in the shadows.

She leaned forward to rest her forehead on his with a conspiratorial smile. "Well then I guess you'll be liking me more than I could ever have hoped for once we start therapy."

He wrinkled his brow, the corners of his eyes crinkling as he fondly gazed back. "Are you flirting with me?"

Her retort was interrupted by a chime sounding on her workbench. Julia rose to quickly silence it before it woke Cameron. Crouching low next to Alonzo, she brought the derm-app to his neck. With a gentle kiss on the forehead in answer to his question, she depressed the button. The hiss hadn't even finished before Alonzo breathed a contented sigh and fell asleep.

ooooooooooooooo

As the vehicles came to a halt all around her, Devon surveyed the small group as they began to set up camp. Tents rose quickly with practiced ease. Cooking supplies came next as a firepit was rapidly prepared. With True in tow, Danziger was making the rounds of the vehicles, checking their charges and prepping them for the next day. Morgan hobbled by with his cane, occasionally waving it with a flourish to punctuate a point. Bess had told him it made him seem dapper and by now he was insufferable with his new appendage. With rest and Julia's legendary physical therapy, his leg was nearly totally healed.

With thoughts of Julia and her therapy, Devon sought Alonzo, finally spotting him being assisted to the med-tent by two of the men, Julia close behind. Julia had been good to her word, it had been three weeks since they had started travelling again and Alonzo's recovery had caught everyone by surprise for its swiftness. While still very weak and requiring a lot of attention, despite a long, hard day of travel, he was nearly walking to the tent under his own power. Julia had explained that his internal injuries and fractures were nearly healed, now the muscles which had been torn or cut to treat him needed to heal and his anemia would resolve on its own within a month or so. Other than that, he would have to follow a disciplined program to build himself up to his previous physical condition gradually.

Devon frowned to herself as they disappeared into the med-tent, the two crewmen emerging a moment later. She couldn't imagine what went on in that tent every evening as they set up camp and prepared the evening meal. Even before the shouting and yelling began, the tent drew sympathetic glances from anyone who had experienced Julia's therapy first hand. Julia had made a firm rule that no one was to enter during Alonzo's therapy. At first, it had been hard to resist as the voices and shouts escalated, fell then escalated again, but they had all learned to grit their teeth and try to ignore it. After all he had been through, it amazed Devon how incredibly stable Alonzo appeared, seemingly almost eager to get the therapy done with each evening. It seemed, since he had resumed dreaming and started therapy, he always had a contented smile on his face.

As with most nights, it didn't take long for Alonzo's therapy to begin. Devon wondered how their relationship could take the pressure. Yale had offered to assist the doctor, perhaps take the brunt of Alonzo's frustration, but Julia had politely declined. As Alonzo's shouts turned into bellows, Yale gestured for Devon to join him away from the center of camp to plot the course for the next day. As usual, the rest of the crew scattered to find something to do a little further away for the next couple hours.

Breathing a long sigh, Alonzo lay deeply into the cot, exhausted. The doctor had been relentless yet again and, while he had somehow managed to keep up with her demands despite an exhausting day of travel, he was ready for a good nap. He hugged her closer as he shifted his weight to a more comfortable position, granting a quick kiss to the top of her head.

"How much longer do you suppose before they figure out what we're doing in here?"

Julia smiled into his chest, looking up to meet his eyes as they twinkled back at her. "After Morgan's therapy sessions, I think they're too afraid to look."

The pilot chuckled. "Well, the exercises hurt like hell. I swear you enjoy it."

"You need to work those muscle groups," she replied half-defensively. "The more we work them properly now, the quicker they'll heal."

"Yeah well, they're worth it. As much as I hate the therapy part, I like the make-up sessions."

Julia rested her hand on his chest as she stretched to meet his lips. Alonzo pulled her closer, deepening the kiss. Just as he was starting to think he might be up to another make-up session, a tri-toned alert sounded on Julia's workbench. Alonzo groaned as she pulled away, lips last, to retrieve his medication.

"Stay with me?"

"For a little while."

"How about forever?"

"And ever." Smiling down at him, she administered the medication to his neck then sat to take one of his hands in hers. Julia watched Alonzo's lids droop lower with each breath. Gently closing them with a whisper-soft touch, she wished, "Sweet dreams, Fly-Boy."

-The end-

* * *

_I cannot begin to explain how it feels to have finished this story after 13 years and be able to share it with fans who continue to dream terrian dreams so many years later. By its very nature, MAP gobbled up a few other latent stories along the way, yet I believe they belong here and it is fitting that they go together. It is much like Alonzo missing the terrians' presence to have these stories complete and out in the world, never to bounce around in the back of my head again -- in some odd way, I'm going to miss them. There are still a few stories in my files hoping to also be heard, but MAP was the one which constantly tugged at my consciousness_ _and kept pulling me back to the fandom I love. It would not be denied the light of day. I hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it._

_All my hopes until the two moons cross..._


End file.
